Deadly Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Lives

At least 16 persons have perished after a enormous fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the fatality count could rise.

A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned unrecognizable, the firefighters reported.

Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their family members still missing.

The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities reported.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports indicated.

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

Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when ignited.

Police and military officers are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed reporters.

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

Tearful family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.

Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to journalists.

The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the nation.