Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims

At least 16 individuals have died after a massive fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the fatality count could increase.

16 bodies have been retrieved but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service said.

Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their loved ones still not found.

The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.

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

Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.

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

Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed reporters.

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

Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.

"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to news media.

The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the nation.