Bangladesh garment factory fire kills 16

A fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh and a chemical warehouse adjacent to it on Tuesday, killing at least 16 people and wounding one, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue efforts continued, officials said.

"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.

He said the cause of the blaze wasn't immediately known.

The fire started on the third floor of the seven-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area before spreading to the chemical warehouse that stored bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, another official of the Fire Service and Civil Defence department said, citing witnesses.

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 licence 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 robust textiles sector, which employs 4 million people and makes up more than 10 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.

Eight firefighting units brought the blaze at the factory under control after nearly three hours, though the fire at the warehouse continued.