Devastating Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a huge fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned impossible to identify, the fire department said.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts indicated.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he noted.
Tearful family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages numerous of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
