Deadly Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 people have died after a enormous fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the fatality count could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were burned impossible to identify, the fire service said.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also emits toxic fumes when ignited.
Security personnel are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he added.
Weeping family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he expressed to reporters.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a major source of export earnings for the country.
