Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 people have perished after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters reported.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources said.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also emits toxic fumes when ignited.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he added.
Tearful family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to journalists.
The devastating event has another time underscored the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs millions of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the country.
