Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned impossible to identify, the fire service said.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their family members still not found.
The fire, which started at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when ignited.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.
Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time emphasized the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
