Deadly Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken at Least 16 Fatalities
At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a huge fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the number of victims could increase.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire department stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases toxic fumes when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he noted.
Tearful family members waited outside the fire-damaged 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 heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant contributor to foreign revenue for the country.