Deadly Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 individuals have lost their lives after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their family members still not found.
The blaze, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Security personnel are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he added.
Weeping family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs countless of workers and is a significant contributor to economic income for the country.
