Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a enormous fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the number of victims could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire department reported.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when ignited.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he noted.
Weeping family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has another time highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the country.
