Devastating Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes at Least 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 people have perished after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the death toll could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still missing.
The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.
Weeping family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he told journalists.
The tragic incident has once again emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the South Asian economy.
