Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Lives
At least 16 people have perished after a huge fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still not found.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts indicated.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when burned.
Security personnel are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director briefed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he added.
Tearful family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a significant source of export earnings for the South Asian economy.
