🔗 Share this article

No fewer than 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could rise.

Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department said.

Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still missing.

The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.

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

Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases poisonous gases when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed journalists.

An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he added.

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

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.

The devastating event has another time emphasized the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages numerous of workers and is a significant contributor to economic income for the South Asian economy.