Devastating Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities

No fewer than 16 people have died after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.

Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters said.

Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still not found.

The blaze, which erupted at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities confirmed.

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.

Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.

Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed the media.

An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he noted.

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

Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to journalists.

The tragic incident has another time highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial provider of foreign revenue for the country.