Deadly Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 people have lost their lives after a enormous fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters reported.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their family members still not found.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when burned.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director briefed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to reporters.
The devastating event has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant source of export earnings for the country.
