Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have died after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their loved ones still missing.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, 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.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs numerous of workers and is a major source of export earnings for the country.