Devastating Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Victims

A minimum of 16 people have perished after a huge fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the death toll could increase.

16 bodies have been recovered but were charred impossible to identify, the firefighters stated.

Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still unaccounted for.

The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities said.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources said.

Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when ignited.

Security personnel are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed journalists.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.

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

Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he expressed to news media.

The tragic incident has another time emphasized the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial provider of export earnings for the nation.