Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a enormous fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been recovered but were charred impossible to identify, the fire department stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still missing.
The blaze, which started at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports reported.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed the media.
An investigation 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 holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has another time emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a crucial provider of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
