Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes at Least 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the fatality count could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were burned impossible to identify, the fire department stated.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which started at the factory around noon, was put out after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.
Tearful family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has another time emphasized the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial provider of economic income for the country.
