Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a huge fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the firefighters reported.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their family members still not found.
The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a significant source of export earnings for the country.
