Deadly Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities

At least 16 people have lost their lives after a enormous fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could increase.

A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department reported.

Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.

The inferno, which erupted at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities reported.

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

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

According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when combusted.

Security personnel are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told the media.

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

Crying family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.

Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.

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

The catastrophic occurrence has another time underscored the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.