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No fewer than 16 individuals have perished after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the death toll could rise.

16 bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service reported.

Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their loved ones still not found.

The blaze, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.

Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.

Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when burned.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed reporters.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.

Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to journalists.

The devastating event has once again emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a significant contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.