Deadly Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Fatalities
At least 16 people have died after a massive fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the fatality count could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters stated.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
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 reported.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also produces poisonous gases when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.
Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he expressed to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages countless of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the nation.
