Deadly Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 individuals have perished after a huge fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the death toll could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters reported.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their loved ones still not found.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around midday, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports indicated.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when combusted.
Police and military officers 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 operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he told journalists.
The tragic incident has another time highlighted the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a significant source of export earnings for the nation.
