A man has died and seven people required hospital treatment after a fire broke out in a Tai Po flat in the early hours of Thursday.

Firefighters were called to Tung Sau Square at around 3am and put out the blaze in about 45 minutes.

A man who was found unconscious at the scene was sent to Nethersole Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Seven other people were taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation and other injuries.

Firefighters say preliminary investigations indicate that a short circuit caused the blaze.