Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Lives

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

Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire department reported.

Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their dear ones still not found.

The fire, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources reported.

Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also produces 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 investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he noted.

Crying family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.

Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.

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

The devastating event has another time emphasized the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a significant source of export earnings for the country.