Devastating Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 persons have died after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their dear ones still missing.
The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to reporters.
The devastating event has yet again underscored the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a major source of export earnings for the country.
