Deadly Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Victims
At least 16 individuals have died after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could increase.
16 bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which started at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts said.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he added.
Weeping family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to reporters.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a significant contributor to export earnings for the country.
