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At least 16 persons have perished after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the number of victims could increase.

A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire department reported.

Distraught relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their family members still unaccounted for.

The blaze, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services confirmed.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports reported.

Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when ignited.

Security personnel are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed the media.

An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.

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

Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.

"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to reporters.

The tragic incident has another time emphasized the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the nation.