Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken at Least 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the number of victims could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned impossible to identify, the fire service stated.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The inferno, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when ignited.
Police and military officers are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he told journalists.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages numerous of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the country.
