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At least 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the fatality count could increase.

Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire service reported.

Distraught relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still unaccounted for.

The blaze, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.

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

Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.

Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also emits toxic fumes when ignited.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed the media.

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

Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.

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

The devastating event has another time highlighted the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial source of export earnings for the nation.