Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 individuals have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their dear ones still not found.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was put out after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when burned.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he added.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a crucial provider of economic income for the nation.
