Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 people have died after a enormous fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the fatality count could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still missing.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around noon, was put out after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources indicated.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he expressed to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.
