Devastating Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Takes at Least 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned impossible to identify, the firefighters reported.
Distraught relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases 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 the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he told journalists.
The devastating event has once again emphasized the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the nation.
