Tragic Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the fatality count could increase.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the firefighters reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also emits hazardous smoke when burned.
Security personnel are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.
Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.
