The death toll has risen to 16 following a fire at a garment factory and a chemical warehouse in Shialbari, Mirpur, Dhaka, on Tuesday.

There are fears that the number of casualties could increase further.

Talha Bin Jashim, an official of the Fire Service and Civil Defence (Media Cell), said that the fire began at around 11:40 am in a building housing both a chemical warehouse and a garment factory and quickly spread.

Firefighters have been struggling to bring the blaze under control.

Twelve firefighting units have been deployed to tackle the fire, which remained uncontrolled more than four hours after it started.

Initial reports indicate that five units arrived first, with six more joining later to reinforce the efforts.

The cause of the fire and the full extent of the damage remain unknown, the Fire Service official said.

The warehouse and factory affected belong to Cosmic Pharma, located in the Rupnagar area of Shialbari.

Eyewitnesses reported that a sudden explosion occurred at the garment factory. In an instant, the fire spread to a nearby chemical warehouse.

Upon receiving the news, the Fire Service rushed to the scene and began extinguishing the blaze. The army was deployed to control the crowd of onlookers at the site.

They were later joined by students from a nearby private university, volunteers, police, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to assist in the operations.

Fire Service officials said that due to the presence of various types of chemicals, the fire at the chemical warehouse could not be brought under control.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has expressed deep sorrow over the fire at Shah Ali Washing Ltd and a chemical warehouse in Mirpur, which resulted in casualties.

BGMEA prayed for the souls of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.

BGMEA clarified that the factory affected by the fire in Shialbari, Mirpur, was not a member of the association and that it was a washing facility.