Deadly Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Has Taken at Least 16 Lives
At least 16 people have died after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the death toll could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also emits toxic fumes when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Crying family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a major provider of economic income for the country.
