The fire broke out on Monday at 5:30 pm (1200 GMT) at a consumer electronics show in the town of Meerut, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of New Delhi.

Two TV news channels reported that at least 100 people had been trapped in Monday's fire.

Police said that firefighters were tackling the blaze and the death toll was expected to rise.

Many of the victims were believed to be women and children.

In addition to the fatalities, at least 160 people had been taken to local hospitals, K. M. Singh, the state's chief medical officer, told the Associated Press.

The deputy inspector general of police for the city of Meerut, Rajkumar Vishwakarma, said initial indications are that the blaze was started by a short circuit and the flames were fanned by the explosion of a gas cylinder.

The government has already announced there will be compensation for the families of the dead and the injured.

CNN