Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 persons have perished after a massive fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could climb.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which started at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Tearful family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to reporters.
The tragic incident has yet again emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages numerous of workers and is a significant provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
