Devastating Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes a Minimum of 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could rise.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources indicated.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official told the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he mentioned.
Weeping family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to journalists.
The tragic incident has once again emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the country.