Tragic Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Fatalities

No fewer than 16 people have perished after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the fatality count could increase.

16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department reported.

Distraught relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their family members still missing.

The fire, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities said.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts indicated.

Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when ignited.

Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed journalists.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he added.

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

Included in the crowd 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 stated to reporters.

The devastating event has yet again underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a significant contributor to export earnings for the South Asian economy.