Tragic Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 people have died after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the death toll could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred impossible to identify, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports reported.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also releases poisonous gases when combusted.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he noted.
Tearful family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has once again underscored the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages numerous of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the country.
