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At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a enormous fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the number of victims could climb.

Sixteen bodies have been recovered 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 looking for their loved ones still unaccounted for.

The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services reported.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.

Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.

Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when combusted.

Police and military officers are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director briefed the media.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he mentioned.

Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.

The devastating event has once again emphasized the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the country.