Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 persons have died after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around midday, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports indicated.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also emits poisonous gases when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members stood 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 loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to reporters.
The tragic incident has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the country.
