Deadly Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 people have perished after a huge fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred impossible to identify, the fire department stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which started at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
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 reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.
Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to news media.
The tragic incident has yet again underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the country.
