Tragic Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Lives
At least 16 people have lost their lives after a massive fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the death toll could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which started at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also releases toxic fumes when burned.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he added.
Tearful family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to journalists.
The tragic incident has another time emphasized the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the nation.