Devastating Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 people have perished after a enormous fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were incinerated unrecognizable, the firefighters said.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when burned.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to journalists.
The tragic incident has another time highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a major provider of economic income for the nation.
