Tragic Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 persons have died after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the fatality count could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the fire department stated.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports said.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he noted.
Crying family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to reporters.
The tragic incident has once again underscored the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant source of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
