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No fewer than 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could increase.

16 bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters said.

Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still missing.

The fire, which erupted at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities confirmed.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts said.

Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.

Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces poisonous gases when combusted.

Security personnel are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed the media.

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

Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to reporters.

The devastating event has yet again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a crucial provider of economic income for the country.