Tragic Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities

At least 16 people have lost their lives after a enormous fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could rise.

A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire department said.

Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still not found.

The inferno, which started at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts said.

Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.

According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed journalists.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.

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

Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.

"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he expressed to news media.

The catastrophic occurrence has yet again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a significant provider of economic income for the country.