LUCKNOW, Feb. 7 -- A major fire broke out in the basement of an under-construction hotel in Vibhuti Khand here on Friday.

The blaze, which erupted in the hotel's basement, quickly filled the 16-storey building with thick smoke, trapping nearly 300 workers inside. After an intense rescue effort lasting over five hours, all workers were evacuated safely, officials said.

While there were no reports of injuries till late in the evening, the incident prompted a large-scale emergency response from fire and police departments.

Fire officials said they suspected that sparks after a short circuit in a machine fell on highly inflammable materials such as paint, foam sheets, plywood and other finishing supplies stored nearby, which might be the s...