Tragic Garment Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 individuals have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still unaccounted for.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when ignited.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he added.
Tearful family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he told journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a significant provider of economic income for the nation.
