Tragic Garment Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
At least 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still missing.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around midday, was put out after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he noted.
Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.
The tragic incident has another time highlighted the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a significant source of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
