Tragic Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 individuals have lost their lives after a massive fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still not found.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when ignited.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director briefed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he noted.
Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he expressed to news media.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the country.
