Tragic Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
At least 16 individuals have perished after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their loved ones still missing.
The blaze, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he added.
Weeping 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, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to journalists.
The tragic incident has another time highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial source of export earnings for the country.
