MANILA, March 18 (Xinhua) — At least four people were killed and 14 others injured as a fire swept through a casino in a Manila hotel on Sunday morning, authorities said.

According to Johnny Yu of the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, four people, who had been critically injured during the fire, did not make it to the hospital.

Yu said earlier that the four injured were "unconscious" when rushed to the hospital.

The fire gutted the casino's mezzanine up to the third floor.

The Bureau of Fire Protection in Manila said the fire produced flames and thick smoke plume that engulfed the casino of the Manila Pavilion Hotel and Casino along United Nations Avenue in Manila City.

Firefighters were still trying to control the blaze that continued to rage as of past noon.

The cause of the fire was still unknown.