Devastating Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 people have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their dear ones still not found.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when burned.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director informed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.
Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has another time highlighted the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
