Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Victims

A minimum of 16 people have died after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.

16 bodies have been retrieved but were charred beyond recognition, the fire department stated.

Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still not found.

The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.

Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.

Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces poisonous gases when combusted.

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

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

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

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to journalists.

The tragic incident has yet again underscored the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial provider of export earnings for the South Asian economy.