Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have died after a huge fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the death toll could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he added.
Weeping family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.
The tragic incident has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant provider of economic income for the country.
