Deadly Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters said.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was put out after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources said.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when combusted.
Security personnel are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the country.
