Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 individuals have perished after a huge fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports said.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he added.
Tearful family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.
The tragic incident has another time emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a major provider of export earnings for the nation.
