Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Lives
At least 16 people have died after a enormous fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports indicated.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when combusted.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.
Tearful family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a major provider of export earnings for the nation.
