Deadly Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Victims
At least 16 individuals have died after a huge fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the fatality count could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when burned.
Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he noted.
Tearful family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"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 journalists.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the nation.
