Tragic Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
At least 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 increase.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which started at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when burned.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.
Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he told news media.
The devastating event has another time underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages countless of workers and is a major source of foreign revenue for the country.
