Devastating Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 people have lost their lives after a massive fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Distraught relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources reported.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he added.
Tearful family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told news media.
The devastating event has yet again underscored the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages countless of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the country.
