Devastating Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 people have lost their lives after a enormous fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the number of victims could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports reported.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to news media.
The tragic incident has yet again underscored the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a significant provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
