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A minimum of 16 people have perished after a massive fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could rise.

A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters said.

Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still unaccounted for.

The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was extinguished after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources said.

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

Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when ignited.

Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.

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

Tearful 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, Farzana Akhter.

"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he told news media.

The tragic incident has another time highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the South Asian economy.