Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Lives
At least 16 people have died after a enormous fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the number of victims could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which started at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts said.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when ignited.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members waited 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 family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.
The tragic incident has yet again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a significant source of foreign revenue for the country.
