Tragic Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 people have perished after a huge fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the death toll could rise.
16 bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service reported.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The blaze, which started at the factory around midday, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"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 tragic incident has once again emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the country.
