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At least 16 individuals have died after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the fatality count could climb.

Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters reported.

Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their dear ones still unaccounted for.

The fire, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities reported.

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

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

Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when burned.

Security personnel are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told the media.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he added.

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

Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I learned of 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 underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the South Asian economy.