Deadly Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims
At least 16 persons have died after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the number of victims could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple 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, media reports said.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when burned.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official briefed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of 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 plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs millions of workers and is a major source of economic income for the country.
