Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Lives
At least 16 individuals have perished after a massive fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the number of victims could increase.
16 bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the fire service said.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts indicated.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when combusted.
Police and military officers are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Weeping family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.
The tragic incident has once again emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs millions of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the nation.
