Devastating Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes at Least 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their family members still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources said.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he expressed to reporters.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.
