Deadly Clothing Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 persons have perished after a enormous fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the number of victims could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire department stated.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources said.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also produces poisonous gases when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he told journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs countless of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the South Asian economy.
