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

A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could increase.

A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated unrecognizable, the firefighters reported.

Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their dear ones still missing.

The fire, which erupted at the factory around midday, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials said.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources said.

Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.

According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.

Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed the media.

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

Crying family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.

Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.

"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.

The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages countless of workers and is a significant contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.