Devastating Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire department reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still not found.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also releases poisonous gases when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members waited 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 rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs countless of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the South Asian economy.
