Tragic Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 individuals have died after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases toxic fumes when ignited.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.
Crying family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a major provider of economic income for the South Asian economy.
