Deadly Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have died after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Tearful family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd 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 have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to news media.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the nation.