Deadly Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 persons have died after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire service said.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their loved ones still missing.
The inferno, which started at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces toxic fumes when combusted.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.
The tragic incident has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the South Asian economy.
