Deadly Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 persons have perished after a enormous fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned impossible to identify, the firefighters reported.
Distraught relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their family members still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was put out after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports reported.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he noted.
Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd 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 daughter back," he stated to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the country.
