Deadly Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Fatalities

At least 16 individuals have died after a massive fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the number of victims could climb.

Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service reported.

Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still not found.

The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services said.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports indicated.

Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.

Police and military officers are still trying to locate the proprietors 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 currently underway, he noted.

Tearful family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.

Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.

The catastrophic occurrence has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a major provider of export earnings for the nation.