Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the fire department said.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still not found.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces poisonous gases when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.
Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them 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 child back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
