Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
At least 16 individuals have perished after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still not found.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Weeping family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them 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 another time highlighted the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a major provider of export earnings for the nation.