Deadly Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims

No fewer than 16 persons have perished after a huge fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the fatality count could climb.

16 bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department reported.

Distraught relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still unaccounted for.

The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts reported.

Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also produces poisonous gases when burned.

Police and military officers are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed the media.

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

Weeping family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.

Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.

The devastating event has once again underscored the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the country.