Deadly Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 persons have perished after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could increase.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still not found.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Until 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 service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when ignited.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he noted.
Crying family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs countless of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the country.
