Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have perished after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources said.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to journalists.
The devastating event has yet again emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the country.
