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"Sixteen bodies have been recovered from the second and third floors of the garment factory," fire service director Tajul Islam Chowdhury said, adding that the number of deaths could rise as recovery operations were continuing.
The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.He said the cause of the blaze wasn't immediately known.
The fire broke out at around midday on the third floor of the seven-storey factory in the Mirpur area of the capital Dhaka, before spreading to a chemical warehouse storing bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, Talha Bin Jashim, another fire department official said, citing witnesses.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered in search of their loved ones, some clutching photographs.
Chowdhury said the factory owners had not yet been identified. "The police and the army are looking for them."
Asked whether the chemical warehouse had a license to operate, he said: "We don't know about the license yet. However, as far as we have heard, it is illegal. We will be able to confirm once the investigation is completed."
In a condolence message, Bangladesh’s interim government head Muhammad Yunus expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. He directed authorities to investigate the cause of the fire and to ensure that victims and their families receive all necessary assistance.
Poor fire and building safety standards lead to dozens of such disasters in Bangladesh each year, and past accidents have tarnished the country's textiles sector, which employs 4 million people and makes up more than 10% of the country's gross domestic product.
In 2013, more than 1,100 people were killed when the multi-story Rana Plaza building housing garment factories suddenly collapsed.
On Tuesday, 12 firefighting units brought the blaze at the factory under control after nearly three hours, though the fire at the warehouse continued. Members of the Bangladesh Army, police and border guard joined the rescue operation, officials said.
It is stated that devastating fire broke out at a chemical warehouse next to the garment factory, Talha Bin Jasim, an officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence Media Wing, was quoted as saying by the state-run BSS news agency.
Sixteen bodies have so far been recovered from the first and second floors of the garment factory, Fire Service and Civil Defence Director (Operation and Maintenance) Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.
"We suspect that all of them have died after inhaling toxic gas,” Chowdhury was quoted as saying by Bangla language daily ‘Prothom Alo’.
He added that the fire was brought under control, and firefighters are conducting searches at the garment factory.“The number might go up,” Talha Bin Jasim said.
He said they received the report of the fire at 11.40 am (local time), and the first team arrived at the scene at 11.56 am.
The two buildings are located side by side in front of Bangladesh University of Business and Technology in Rupnagar, he said.
Nine firefighting engines rushed to the spot around 11.56 am and doused the blaze in the buildings, he said.
Bangladesh has a history of industrial disasters. Past industrial tragedies have often been attributed to safety lapses.