Deadly Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims a Minimum of 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 people have died after a massive fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the fire department reported.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still missing.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts said.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also produces hazardous smoke when burned.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he told journalists.
The tragic incident has once again emphasized the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a significant source of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
