Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims a Minimum of 16 Victims
At least 16 people have died after a huge fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was put out after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources reported.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he noted.
Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the South Asian economy.
