Deadly Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims

At least 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the death toll could increase.

16 bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters reported.

Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still not found.

The inferno, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials said.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources indicated.

Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when burned.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed reporters.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he noted.

Tearful family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.

"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.

The devastating event has once again highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the South Asian economy.