* Gondia is around 170 km east of Nagpur and bordering Madhya Pradesh.

* The fire erupted around 3.30 am in Hotel Bindal and quickly spread.

* Six charred to death, one person, who jumped down from the hotel building and suffered injuries, died en route to hospital.

At least seven persons, including two women, were killed in a fire that broke out at a hotel in Maharashtra's Gondia town in the wee hours of Wednesday.

The blaze erupted at around 3.30 AM in a shop on the premises of Hotel Bindal, located on the busy Gorelal Chowk at a prime location in the city, and soon spread in the building. Fire tenders were called from neighbouring Balaghat, Bhandara, Tumsar, Lanji and also from Adani Power Plant in Tirora to help douse the flames.

"Rescue work is underway and the fire brigade team is searching if any person is trapped inside the premises," a fire officer said. Police officials had a tough time in controlling the crowd that gathered outside the mishap site after the fire.

There where nearly 15 guests staying in the hotel at the time of the mishap. One person sustained serious injuries after he jumped from the second floor of the hotel following the fire. He died on way to Nagpur hospital.

Two bodies were charred beyond recognition while four others were found dead in their hotel rooms. The deceased are yet to be identified. A search is on to rescue some other guests feared trapped in the hotel. The cause of the fire is being investigated.