Tragic Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 individuals have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the number of victims could increase.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in looking for their family members still missing.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when burned.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.
Tearful family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has another time emphasized the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages numerous of workers and is a major source of economic income for the nation.
