Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Fatalities

A minimum of 16 individuals have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could increase.

Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned impossible to identify, the fire department reported.

Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their family members still unaccounted for.

The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials confirmed.

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

Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.

According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.

Security personnel are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official told the media.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he noted.

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

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told news media.

The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a crucial provider of economic income for the nation.