Tragic Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Victims

At least 16 individuals have died after a massive fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise.

16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the fire department reported.

Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in seeking their dear ones still missing.

The inferno, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services said.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.

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

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when ignited.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed reporters.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he mentioned.

Tearful family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.

Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he told news media.

The tragic incident has another time emphasized the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs countless of workers and is a significant contributor to economic income for the nation.