Nine people have died in the fire accident at Srisailam hydroelectric plant, on the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border on Friday, a senior government official said.

Six bodies have been recovered by rescue teams so far and efforts were on to pull out the others from the underground plant, Nagarkurnool District Collector L Sharman said.

The fire broke out late on Thursday night when at least 17 people were inside the plant and eight of them managed to escape, officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the accident 'unfortunate' and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

"Fire at the Srisailam hydroelectric plant is deeply unfortunate. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those injured recover at the earliest," the PM said in a tweet.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday said he was pained by the loss of lives in the tragic fire accident at the Srisailam hydroelectric plant in Telangana.

"Pained by the loss of lives in the tragic fire accident at Srisailam hydroelectric plant in Telangana. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery for the injured," Kovind tweeted.