Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 people have perished after a enormous fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the fatality count could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in looking for their family members still unaccounted for.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.
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.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also produces toxic fumes when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official told the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he added.
Weeping family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.