Devastating Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Lives
At least 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their family members still not found.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also produces poisonous gases when ignited.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has yet again underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages millions of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the country.
