Tragic Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Lives
At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Distraught relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their family members still unaccounted for.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also emits poisonous gases when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he noted.
Weeping family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.
The tragic incident has once again underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
