Deadly Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 people have lost their lives after a massive fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could rise.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources reported.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when burned.
Security personnel are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.
Crying family members stood outside the burned 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 daughter back," he told journalists.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to export earnings for the South Asian economy.
