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At least 16 people have died after a enormous fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the death toll could increase.

16 bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service stated.

Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still not found.

The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was put out after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.

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

Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed the media.

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

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

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he expressed to journalists.

The catastrophic occurrence has yet again underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a significant source of export earnings for the nation.