Tragic Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have perished after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the number of victims could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still unaccounted for.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was extinguished after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources said.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also produces poisonous gases when combusted.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.
Weeping family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has another time emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a major provider of export earnings for the country.
