Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 individuals have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still not found.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities confirmed.
Up until 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 ignited initially.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he added.
Tearful family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has yet again emphasized the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the country.
