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A minimum of 16 people have died after a huge fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could rise.

16 bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters stated.

Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their loved ones still missing.

The blaze, which erupted at the factory around midday, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services said.

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

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

According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.

Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told journalists.

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

Weeping family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.

Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.

"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.

The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a significant contributor to foreign revenue for the country.