Devastating Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were burned impossible to identify, the firefighters reported.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he added.
Weeping family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to journalists.
The tragic incident has once again emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a major source of export earnings for the country.
