Tragic Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes at Least 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still not found.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports indicated.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke 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 informed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he noted.
Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs millions of workers and is a major source of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
