Deadly Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 people have perished after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the firefighters reported.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their loved ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when combusted.
Security personnel are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he noted.
Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"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 expressed to reporters.
The tragic incident has another time emphasized the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs numerous of workers and is a significant contributor to economic income for the nation.
