Tragic Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the fire department said.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their family members still missing.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, 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 reported.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when burned.
Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Weeping family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to news media.
The tragic incident has yet again emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the nation.
