taken on Sept. 20, 2008 shows the damaged building of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan.

Pakistani volunteers carry a body of a blast victim outside the burning facade of The Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday evening.

Pakistani police and volunteers search for the victims outside the burning facade of The Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday evening.

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in a blast outside Marriott of Pakistan's capital Islamabad has risen to 40, local TV channel quoted police sources as saying on Saturday.

The blast also left scores of people injured, while 15 people were trapped in the hotel waiting for rescue.

The blast caused fires in various parts of the five-star hotel building, and smashed windows of nearby buildings, including the building of state television.

The Marriott Hotel, a landmark building in the Pakistan capital, is the preferred hotel of visiting diplomats and businessmen.

The security has been put on alert across the country after the serious blast. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani condemned the blast.

The blast came just hours after Zardari vowed to firmly fight against terrorism and extremism while addressing a joint session of the parliament.