At least 16 people have died after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in looking for their loved ones still not found.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he mentioned.
Crying family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant provider of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
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