Tragic Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 people have perished after a massive fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned impossible to identify, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still not found.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around midday, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources said.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing 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 loved one back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant source of foreign revenue for the nation.
