Deadly Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Fatalities

Heartbroken relatives hold photographs of unaccounted for loved ones following the catastrophic factory blaze — Grief-stricken relatives cling to photographs of their family members still missing after a fire blazed through a garment factory in Bangladesh

No fewer than 16 persons have perished after a massive fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could climb.

Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.

Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.

The inferno, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials reported.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.

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

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when burned.

Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told journalists.

An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he noted.

Crying family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.

Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.

"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.

The devastating event has yet again emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs millions of workers and is a crucial provider of export earnings for the nation.