Devastating Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Fatalities
At least 16 people have died after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the fire service said.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces toxic fumes when ignited.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the nation.