Tragic Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 people have lost their lives after a massive fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources reported.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he noted.
Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"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 news media.
The tragic incident has another time emphasized the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the country.
