Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Lives
At least 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.
Tearful family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the nation.
