Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
At least 16 people have died after a enormous fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the death toll could increase.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which started at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Security personnel are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"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 child back," he told journalists.
The devastating event has another time underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a significant provider of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
