Deadly Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the number of victims could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred impossible to identify, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.
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 determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he added.
Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.
The tragic incident has another time highlighted the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the country.
