Tragic Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 individuals have perished after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources said.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told journalists.
The tragic incident has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.
