Deadly Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 people have perished after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which started at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when burned.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.
The tragic incident has another time emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the country.
