Deadly Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in looking for their family members still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.
Weeping family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has once again underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a significant source of export earnings for the nation.
