Deadly Clothing Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims a Minimum of 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a huge fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still not found.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when ignited.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he mentioned.
Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd 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 daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The tragic incident has yet again underscored the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
