Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire department stated.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in looking for their loved ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official told journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a crucial contributor to export earnings for the nation.
