Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 persons have died after a massive fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could increase.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were charred impossible to identify, the fire service reported.
Distraught relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director informed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he mentioned.
Weeping 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 learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again underscored the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant source of foreign revenue for the nation.
