NEW DELHI - The death toll from a massive fire that engulfed a hotel in Delhi on Tuesday has risen to 17, officials said.

Speaking to Xinhua over phone, Deputy Chief Fire Officer Sunil Choudhary said that 17 people died and five others injured in the fire in Arpit Palace hotel in Delhi's Karol Bagh area.

As many as 25 firefighters were rushed to the hotel which caught fire early on Tuesday. There are more than 40 rooms inside the hotel and people were asleep at the time of the incident.

As many as 30 people were rescued safely, while the injured were being given medical treatment at a local government hospital.

Media reports said the firefighters faced difficulty in reaching the top floors of the hotel from where massive flames could be seen, as there are narrow lanes in the area.