Devastating Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Lives

No fewer than 16 persons have died after a enormous fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the death toll could climb.

A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the fire department stated.

Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still missing.

The fire, which erupted at the factory around midday, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities reported.

Up 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.

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

According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed reporters.

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

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

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"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 devastating event has yet again emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages millions of workers and is a major source of export earnings for the country.