Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters reported.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in looking for their loved ones still not found.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.
Up until 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 service officials have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces toxic fumes when ignited.
Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official told journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.
Crying family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he told news media.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant contributor to foreign revenue for the country.
