Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 individuals have perished after a enormous fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the death toll could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which started at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, 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 indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when ignited.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.
The tragic incident has another time underscored the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a major source of economic income for the nation.
