Devastating Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Victims

A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the death toll could climb.

16 bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service reported.

Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still missing.

The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.

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

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

Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.

Security personnel are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed reporters.

An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he added.

Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.

Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to journalists.

The tragic incident has yet again emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the country.