Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 people have perished after a enormous fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their family members still missing.
The blaze, which started at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a crucial provider of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
