Tragic Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 people have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their loved ones still not found.
The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when burned.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.
Tearful family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has once again underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the South Asian economy.
