Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Lives
At least 16 individuals have perished after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service said.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when burned.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he noted.
Crying family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has once again underscored the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages numerous of workers and is a crucial source of export earnings for the country.
