Deadly Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes a Minimum of 16 Victims

At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the death toll could rise.

16 bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service said.

Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in seeking their family members still unaccounted for.

The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.

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

Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.

Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed the media.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he added.

Crying family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.

The devastating event has once again underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the country.