Tragic Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 people have perished after a huge fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire department said.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to reporters.
The devastating event has yet again emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant contributor to economic income for the nation.
