A major fire in a factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has led to the death of at least 16 people, and the number of victims could rise.

A large fire broke out in a garment factory in the Mirpur area of Dhaka, Bangladesh, resulting in the death of at least 16 people, BBC reported. Firefighters recovered the bodies, but they were charred and unrecognizable. Relatives of the victims gathered in front of the factory, searching for their missing loved ones. The fire started around noon and was extinguished after three hours, but a nearby chemical storage facility continued to burn. Authorities are investigating the legality of the operation of the storage facility and the factory, considering that fires are common in Bangladesh due to poor safety standards. The fire chief stated that the victims likely died from inhaling toxic gases. Fatal incidents in factories are a recurring problem in the country, with hundreds of deaths in recent years.