Deadly Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Fatalities
At least 16 people have died after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the fire department reported.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to reporters.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial source of export earnings for the country.
