Tragic Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 individuals have perished after a huge fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the number of victims could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director briefed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the South Asian economy.
