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

No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a massive fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could climb.

A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the fire department reported.

Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still unaccounted for.

The inferno, which erupted at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.

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

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director told journalists.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.

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 loved one.

"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he told journalists.

The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial provider of foreign revenue for the country.