Tragic Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Lives

At least 16 persons have perished after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the fatality count could climb.

Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters reported.

Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their loved ones still not found.

The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.

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

According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits toxic fumes when burned.

Security personnel are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed journalists.

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

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

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

"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.

The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a significant source of export earnings for the country.