Devastating Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 people have died after a massive fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the death toll could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he added.
Weeping family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has another time underscored the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.
