Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims a Minimum of 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 individuals have perished after a enormous fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the number of victims could increase.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned impossible to identify, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their loved ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services 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 reported.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Weeping family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he told journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the nation.
