Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Lives
At least 16 persons have died after a enormous fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the death toll could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred impossible to identify, the fire department said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still not found.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around midday, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources indicated.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Weeping family members gathered 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 heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has once again underscored the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.