Tragic Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Lives

At least 16 people have perished after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the fatality count could increase.

Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred impossible to identify, the fire service said.

Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still not found.

The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities confirmed.

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

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

Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when ignited.

Police and military officers are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed the media.

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 unaccounted for relatives.

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to reporters.

The devastating event has yet again highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a significant source of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.