Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 persons have perished after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports indicated.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when ignited.
Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Tearful family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to news media.
The tragic incident has once again emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the South Asian economy.
