Tragic Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a huge fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still not found.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources said.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when ignited.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official told journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he added.
Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned 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 news media.
The tragic incident has another time emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the country.
