Devastating Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the number of victims could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated impossible to identify, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which started at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts said.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when burned.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director informed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members stood outside the charred 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 was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages numerous of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the nation.