Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Lives
At least 16 persons have died after a enormous fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in looking for their family members still missing.
The fire, which started at the factory around noon, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts said.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed 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 clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has yet again emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the nation.
