Tragic Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims a Minimum of 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 persons have perished after a enormous fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were charred impossible to identify, the firefighters reported.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still missing.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official briefed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Crying family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he told news media.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a major provider of export earnings for the nation.
