Deadly Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a huge fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still missing.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around midday, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director informed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he told news media.
The tragic incident has another time highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages millions of workers and is a crucial provider of export earnings for the South Asian economy.