Deadly Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when combusted.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he mentioned.
Crying family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the nation.
