Tragic Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the number of victims could increase.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which started at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports indicated.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when burned.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Weeping family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he told journalists.
The devastating event has once again emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the country.
