Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 persons have perished after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire service said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources reported.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
Security personnel are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he noted.
Crying family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he expressed to news media.
The devastating event has yet again underscored the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the South Asian economy.
