Devastating Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could rise.
16 bodies have been recovered but were charred impossible to identify, the fire service said.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when ignited.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd 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 loved one back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has another time emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the nation.
