Tragic Garment Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Takes at Least 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 persons have perished after a enormous fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the fatality count could rise.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in seeking their family members still unaccounted for.
The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts said.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he added.
Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
