Deadly Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims

At least 16 individuals have died after a massive fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the number of victims could rise.

Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service reported.

Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still unaccounted for.

The inferno, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.

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

According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also releases toxic fumes when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director informed journalists.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.

Weeping family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he told reporters.

The tragic incident has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a major source of export earnings for the country.