Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 people have died after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the death toll could increase.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts said.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the country.
