Patna: At least six people were killed in a fire that erupted in a hotel near Patna Junction railway station on Thursday, media reports said.

As many as 20 people were rescued from the site and brought to safety, India Today reported, citing a senior official

Shobha Ohatkar, DG, Home Guard and Fire Services, who had rushed to the spot said the fire was caused due to negligence in the implementation of fire safety guidelines, according to the report.

"We have done a fire audit of more than 16,000 hotels and it is still underway. They are given specific instructions in the fire audit. Some follow and others tend not to follow the instructions.. this is due to negligence. Prima facie, it appears fire broke due to a cylinder blast," Ohatkar was quoted as saying by India Today.

"We have brought the blaze, about which information was received around 11 am, under control. The exact cause will be ascertained through a proper investigation, and appropriate action will follow," she added.