Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 persons have died after a huge fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the fatality count could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he added.
Tearful family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he expressed to journalists.
The devastating event has yet again underscored the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the country.