Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service said.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still unaccounted for.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to journalists.
The tragic incident has another time underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant contributor to export earnings for the country.
