Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 individuals have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could climb.
16 bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire department said.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which started at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also emits toxic fumes when burned.
Security personnel are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he added.
Weeping family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to journalists.
The tragic incident has another time emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages countless of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the nation.
