Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Lives
At least 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred impossible to identify, the firefighters reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their family members still missing.
The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.
The tragic incident has once again emphasized the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs countless of workers and is a major source of economic income for the nation.
