Deadly Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes at Least 16 Victims

No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a massive fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the number of victims could rise.

Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters stated.

Distraught relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still not found.

The blaze, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities said.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts said.

Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.

According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products 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 department chief the fire service official told journalists.

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

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

Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he told journalists.

The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs millions of workers and is a crucial contributor to export earnings for the South Asian economy.