Firefighters work at the scene to put out the fire in Mong Kok, a downtown area of Kowloon in Hong Kong on Nov 30, 2011.[Photo/163.com]

HONG KONG - Eight people died and 24 others injured after a fire broke out Wednesday morning in Mong Kok, a downtown area of Kowloon, Hong Kong.

The four burnt bodies were found in a building in Fa Yuen Street after the blaze started around 4:40 am local time, a spokeswoman from the police department told Xinhua.

The injured have been sent to three different hospitals for treatment, she said.

Firefighters are still trying to contain the fire.

Mong Kok is one of the most densely populated area in Hong Kong known to tourists for its traditional markets and small shops.