🔗 Share this article

At least 16 persons have died after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the fatality count could climb.

A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.

Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.

The blaze, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an nearby 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 entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.

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

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when combusted.

Police and military officers are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told the media.

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

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

Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.

The devastating event has yet again highlighted the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a major source of export earnings for the country.