Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 persons have died after a massive fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned impossible to identify, the firefighters stated.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which started at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Security personnel are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has yet again underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a major source of export earnings for the nation.
