Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 people have died after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the fatality count could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the fire department said.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still not found.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.
As late as 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 ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases poisonous gases when combusted.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he noted.
Tearful family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to journalists.
The devastating event has another time underscored the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a major provider of economic income for the country.
