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No fewer than 16 people have perished after a massive fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could climb.

A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated impossible to identify, the firefighters reported.

Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still not found.

The inferno, which erupted at the factory around midday, was put out after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts indicated.

Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when burned.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director briefed the media.

An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he added.

Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.

Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he expressed to reporters.

The devastating event has another time emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.