Tragic Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 people have died after a huge fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around midday, was extinguished after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts said.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when ignited.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he added.
Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he told news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages numerous of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the country.