Devastating Clothing Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the number of victims could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still not found.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts said.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when ignited.
Security personnel are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed 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 journalists.
The devastating event has yet again emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages millions of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.