Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken at Least 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when ignited.
Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he noted.
Tearful family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he told news media.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial source of export earnings for the South Asian economy.
