Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Lives
At least 16 people have lost their lives after a massive fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the number of victims could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their family members still not found.
The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he noted.
Weeping family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he expressed to journalists.
The tragic incident has once again emphasized the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial source of export earnings for the nation.
