Deadly Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Lives

A minimum of 16 individuals have lost their lives after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could climb.

16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters reported.

Distraught relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their loved ones still not found.

The inferno, which started at the factory around midday, was extinguished after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities reported.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.

Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases poisonous gases when ignited.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director informed the media.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he added.

Weeping family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.

Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.

"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to journalists.

The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the country.