Tragic Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken at Least 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 people have died after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The blaze, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official told reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he told news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs numerous of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
