Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred impossible to identify, the firefighters said.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still missing.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The tragic incident has another time emphasized the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs countless of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the South Asian economy.
