Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire service reported.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities reported.
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.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"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 child back," he expressed to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time underscored the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant source of export earnings for the country.
