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No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the death toll could increase.

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

Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still missing.

The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities confirmed.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports reported.

Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when burned.

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

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

Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.

The tragic incident has yet again emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages numerous of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the nation.