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A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a massive fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the number of victims could increase.

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

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

The blaze, which started at the factory around midday, was extinguished after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials reported.

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

Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.

According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces poisonous gases when ignited.

Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official told the media.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.

Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

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

"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to journalists.

The devastating event has another time emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the country.