Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 people have died after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the number of victims could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire department said.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still not found.
The inferno, which started at the factory around noon, was put out after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts said.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate 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 in progress, he added.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he told news media.
The tragic incident has yet again underscored the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant provider of economic income for the country.
