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

No fewer than 16 individuals have perished after a massive fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise.

16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire department reported.

Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still not found.

The blaze, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities confirmed.

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

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

Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases poisonous gases when burned.

Police and military officers are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed reporters.

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

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

Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he told news media.

The devastating event has another time underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a crucial source of export earnings for the South Asian economy.