Tragic Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have lost their lives after a massive fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the number of victims could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an nearby 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, news sources indicated.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he added.
Weeping family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he told news media.
The tragic incident has another time emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
