Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have died after a enormous fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the death toll could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The fire, which broke out 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) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports indicated.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when burned.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director briefed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.
Weeping family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he told journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the South Asian economy.