Devastating Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Fatalities

No fewer than 16 persons have died after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the number of victims could climb.

16 bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters stated.

Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still not found.

The fire, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials reported.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts reported.

Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.

According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces poisonous gases 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 the media.

An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he added.

Weeping family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately 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 child back," he told news media.

The tragic incident has yet again underscored the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant provider of economic income for the nation.