Tragic Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 persons have perished after a enormous fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the number of victims could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when combusted.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again underscored the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the country.
