Deadly Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 people have perished after a massive fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned impossible to identify, the fire department reported.
Distraught relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also emits hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial provider of economic income for the nation.
