Deadly Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Lives
At least 16 persons have lost their lives after a massive fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the firefighters reported.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their family members still not found.
The inferno, which started at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts reported.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases poisonous gases when ignited.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he told news media.
The devastating event has once again underscored the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial provider of foreign revenue for the country.
