NEW DELHI • At least 27 people died and dozens more were injured in a massive fire in a building in the Indian capital New Delhi on Friday, emergency services said.

"The fire has been put out now. The total number... dead is 27. Search operation is on," a fire department official told Agence France-Presse.

Broadcaster NDTV reported that more than 40 people had suffered burns and were hospitalised.

The large fire broke out at a four-storey commercial building in west Delhi in the late afternoon, but its cause was not immediately clear.

The third floor of the building had not yet been searched and more bodies were expected to be recovered, TV channel CNN-News18 quoted Mr Atul Garg from the Delhi Fire Service as saying.

Mr Sunil Choudhary, deputy chief fire officer from the Delhi Fire Service, told AFP: "More than 25 people are injured, including those who jumped from the building."

About 60 to 70 people were rescued from the building, the local media quoted police as saying.

The blaze started on the first floor of the building, which houses the office of a security camera and router manufacturing company, NDTV quoted police official Sameer Sharma as saying.

More than 30 fire trucks were at the spot along with ambulances even after the fire was put out.

The Times of India reported that the owner of the building was in custody.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to loved ones of the fire victims via Twitter.

"Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a tragic fire in Delhi. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I wish the injured a speedy recovery," Mr Modi said.

President Ram Nath Kovind's office also tweeted its condolences: "Distressed by the tragic fire accident... My condolences to the bereaved families. I wish for speedy recovery of the injured."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE