Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a huge fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their loved ones still missing.
The blaze, which started at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts said.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he added.
Tearful family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a significant source of foreign revenue for the country.
