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At least 16 persons have died after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the fatality count could rise.

16 bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire service reported.

Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still not found.

The blaze, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.

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

Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.

Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when burned.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.

Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.

Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.

The devastating event has once again emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the nation.