Deadly Clothing Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated impossible to identify, the firefighters stated.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their loved ones still not found.
The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when combusted.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he mentioned.
Crying family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.
