Deadly Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service reported.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around noon, was put out after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports said.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he noted.
Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the nation.