Tragic Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 individuals have died after a huge fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around noon, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources reported.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official told the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he told news media.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a crucial provider of foreign revenue for the country.
