Devastating Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 individuals have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when burned.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director informed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial source of export earnings for the country.
