Islamabad - Fire engulfed the luxury Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Thursday, five months after at least 54 people were killed there in a suicide truck bombing that nearly destroyed it.

"The fire started on the first floor where renovation work was being carried out," Marriott spokesman Khawar Jamil told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Jamil said it was not immediately clear what caused the fire, but some media reports said it may have been triggered by a short circuit.

No one was seriously injured in the incident.

However, a rescue worker, Zameer Ahmad, said at least five people suffering from smoke inhalation were taken to the hospital. "The number might increase as rescue work progresses," he added.

Narrow entrances via a 4.3-metre-high and 4.6-metre-thick bomb-proof wall at the Marriott's front hindered the access of emergency vehicles to the hotel.

The hotel, which served as an oasis for diplomats and Pakistan's elite, was reopened after undergoing complete renovation on December 28. (dpa)