Up to 350 people are trapped on the roof of Hong Kong’s World Trade Centre after a major fire broke out in the skyscraper, police have said.

The fire started to rip through the 38-story building, which houses both offices and a mall, in the bustling commercial and shopping district of Causeway Bay early on Wednesday afternoon.

At least one person has been injured and taken to hospital.

Police also said 150 people are currently awaiting rescue.

Other people were said to be trapped in restaurants in the mall, according to the local South China Morning Post newspaper.

The blaze was upgraded to a level three incident on a scale of one to five.

Hong Kong’s government said firefighters were battling the fire with two water jets and had deployed breathing apparatus.

Firefighters also used an extendable ladder to rescue several people who were trapped on the lower floors of the building.

The emergency services cordoned off the area outside the building.