Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have perished after a huge fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the death toll could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire department reported.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts indicated.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when ignited.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to export earnings for the country.
