Tragic Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Victims

At least 16 people have lost their lives after a massive fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the death toll could rise.

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

Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their loved ones still missing.

The fire, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials reported.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports indicated.

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

Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed reporters.

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

Tearful family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.

The devastating event has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs numerous of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the country.