A hospital fire in India killed at least seven patients and injured 20 on Thursday night.

The blaze broke out at a prominent four-storey orthopedic medical facility in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, on December 12.

Dramatic footage shows the ground floor engulfed in flames, believed to have been caused by a short circuit in the reception area, quickly spreading throughout the building.

Firefighters who responded to the emergency said the victims died from suffocation due to the dense smoke that filled the hospital.

Among the deceased were two women and a child, local authorities confirmed.

More than 50 ambulances were dispatched to transfer patients to other medical facilities, with the government hospital in Dindigul admitting 30 individuals for treatment.

Reports said there were approximately 100 patients at the treatment centre when the fire broke out.

Officials have expressed their condolences to the families affected by the tragic happening.

Authorities are still conducting a thorough investigation into the incident.