Tragic Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 people have died after a massive fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the number of victims could increase.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned impossible to identify, the fire service stated.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still not found.
The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after several hours. But an nearby 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 fully extinguished, media reports reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he noted.
Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has yet again emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages millions of workers and is a major source of foreign revenue for the nation.
