Devastating Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 people have perished after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he added.
Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again underscored the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a significant contributor to foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
