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At least 16 individuals 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 retrieved but were incinerated unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.

Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still missing.

The fire, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.

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

Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed reporters.

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

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

Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he told news media.

The tragic incident has yet again highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.