A fire at a garment factory in Bangladesh and a chemical warehouse adjacent to it on Tuesday killed at least 16 people and injured several, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue efforts continued, an official 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 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.

History of industrial disasters

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 per cent 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.