Five dead as fire engulfs Pakistan government building

Five people plunged to their deaths in front of horrified onlookers as a fire engulfed a nine-storey government building in Pakistan.

Dozens are still trapped inside the building and police say the death toll could rise as firefighters have not been able to enter all areas of the nine-story building in the city of Lahore.

Two army helicopters were dispatched while helped rescue several people from the roof of the building as smoke poured through the windows.

The fire is thought to have started with a spark from a generator. Many buildings in Pakistan have their own generators because of frequent electricity outages.

The blaze in the Lahore Development Authority building is believed to have broken out on the seventh floor and spread to the eighth and ninth levels.