Deadly Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 persons have died after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports indicated.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he mentioned.
Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the South Asian economy.
