Devastating Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 people have died after a huge fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the fire department reported.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still not found.
The blaze, which started at the factory around noon, was extinguished after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources indicated.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he noted.
Crying family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.
The tragic incident has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages numerous of workers and is a crucial source of export earnings for the South Asian economy.
