Deadly Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the number of victims could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters reported.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when burned.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he added.
Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to news media.
The devastating event has once again underscored the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the country.
