Deadly Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Fatalities

No fewer than 16 people have perished after a enormous fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise.

A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the fire service said.

Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still not found.

The inferno, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.

Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when burned.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told journalists.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he added.

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

Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.

The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a major source of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.