At least 124 people were killed Sunday after a fire swept through a supermarket on the outskirts of Paraguay's capital Asuncion, reports from Asuncion said.

The fire broke out at a time when the supermarket was crowded with Sunday midday shoppers and the death toll could rise further.

The tragedy was likely caused by the gas canisters in a kitchen in the supermarket, reports said.

Officials gave no cause for the blaze, but said an explosion was heard moments before the fire broke out, according to reports.

Rescue works, equipped with dozens of ambulances and fire engines, rushed to the scene and began to pull out bodies of victims.