Tragic Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire service stated.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in seeking their dear ones still not found.
The inferno, which started at the factory around noon, was extinguished after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources reported.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.
Crying family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he told news media.
The devastating event has another time underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant provider of foreign revenue for the country.
