Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the number of victims could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service reported.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their loved ones still missing.
The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Weeping family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant provider of economic income for the South Asian economy.
