Deadly Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Lives
At least 16 persons have died after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources reported.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently 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 child back," he expressed to journalists.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a significant contributor to export earnings for the nation.
