Devastating Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes at Least 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 people have died after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the fatality count could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were burned impossible to identify, the firefighters stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports indicated.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when ignited.
Security personnel are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he mentioned.
Weeping family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"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 news media.
The tragic incident has yet again underscored the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the country.
