Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 people have died after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned beyond recognition, the fire department said.
Distraught relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The blaze, which broke out 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) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Security personnel are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he mentioned.
Weeping family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has another time underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
