Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters said.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources indicated.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when burned.
Police and military officers are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Tearful family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
