Twelve people have died in a fire that broke out inside a sweet shop in the western Indian city of Mumbai.

All 12 had been rescued from the shop but died on the way to the hospital, reports the Times of India quoting officials.

The victims were reported to be workers who were employed at the shop and were also living there.

The fire broke out around 04:00 India time (22:30 GMT) on the ground floor of the shop, trapping people in the loft, which later collapsed due to the heat.

It's not yet clear what caused the fire though poor maintenance and a lack of safety measures are often to blame. Officials said an investigation had begun.

A similar fire at a construction site in Mumbai killed six people and injured several others in September.

BDST: 1430 HRS, DEC 18, 2017
AP