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

A minimum of 16 people have perished after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could climb.

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

Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their loved ones still not found.

The blaze, which erupted at the factory around midday, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports indicated.

Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.

Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when ignited.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed reporters.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he noted.

Tearful family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.

"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.

The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant contributor to economic income for the country.