Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Lives
At least 16 individuals have died after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the death toll could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire department reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases poisonous gases when combusted.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.
Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the country.
