Deadly Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 persons have died after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could rise.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources indicated.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director told journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again highlighted the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the country.
