Devastating Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 people have died after a huge fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their dear ones still not found.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also releases toxic fumes when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Weeping family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to reporters.
The devastating event has yet again emphasized the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the country.
