Devastating Garment Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Victims
At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the death toll could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the firefighters reported.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still unaccounted for.
The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also emits poisonous gases when ignited.
Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he expressed to reporters.
The devastating event has another time highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a major source of export earnings for the country.
