Deadly Garment Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 persons have perished after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the death toll could climb.
16 bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters stated.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was extinguished after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also produces hazardous smoke when ignited.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official told the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.
Weeping family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"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 expressed to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs countless of workers and is a major provider of export earnings for the South Asian economy.
