Deadly Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their family members still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
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 ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases poisonous gases when ignited.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he noted.
Crying family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.
The tragic incident has another time underscored the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the South Asian economy.
