Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the fatality count could increase.
16 bodies have been found but were burned impossible to identify, the firefighters reported.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around midday, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.
The tragic incident has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a significant contributor to economic income for the nation.