Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the death toll could rise.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned impossible to identify, the fire service said.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he noted.
Tearful family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time underscored the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant contributor to foreign revenue for the country.
