Deadly Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have died after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire department reported.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their family members still not found.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he mentioned.
Weeping family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he told journalists.
The tragic incident has once again underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a major source of economic income for the country.
