Deadly Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
At least 16 individuals have died after a huge fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the fatality count could rise.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire department reported.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources said.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when burned.
Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has another time emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages numerous of workers and is a significant provider of economic income for the nation.
