Tragic Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Lives

No fewer than 16 individuals have perished after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could increase.

16 bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service reported.

Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their family members still missing.

The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services said.

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

Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.

Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also emits poisonous gases when burned.

Police and military officers are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told journalists.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.

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

Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.

"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he expressed to journalists.

The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages millions of workers and is a significant contributor to export earnings for the country.