Deadly Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 individuals have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still not found.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple 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 entirely put out, news sources indicated.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when burned.
Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official told journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.
Crying family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time underscored the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a major provider of economic income for the South Asian economy.
