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At least 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could increase.

Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service said.

Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still missing.

The fire, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services reported.

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

Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when ignited.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed reporters.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he mentioned.

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

Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.

"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he told news media.

The devastating event has yet again highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the country.