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At least 16 people have perished after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could climb.

Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service stated.

Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still not found.

The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services said.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.

Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.

Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when ignited.

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

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

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

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.

"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he told journalists.

The devastating event has another time highlighted the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages numerous of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the country.