Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims

A minimum of 16 persons have died after a massive fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the death toll could rise.

16 bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the firefighters reported.

Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their dear ones still not found.

The inferno, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials said.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.

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

Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.

Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official briefed reporters.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.

Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.

Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.

The tragic incident has another time emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages numerous of workers and is a major source of foreign revenue for the nation.