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At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the fatality count could climb.

A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire department said.

Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still not found.

The fire, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.

Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director informed journalists.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he mentioned.

Weeping family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.

Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.

The tragic incident has another time underscored the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.