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A minimum of 16 persons have perished after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the fatality count could increase.

Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire department stated.

Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still missing.

The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts said.

Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.

Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.

Security personnel are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director informed journalists.

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

Weeping family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

Present at the scene 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 haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to reporters.

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