Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park in Houston on Friday. AP

Officials in Texas say at least eight people died and several were wounded in a crush at the Astroworld music festival in the southern US state of Texas on Friday night.

Houston fire chief Samuel Pena said the incident began at around 9 pm when "the crowd began to compress towards the front of the stage".

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Just after the rapper Travis Scott was performing, the surge broke out, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña told reporters at a news conference.

"That caused some panic and it started causing some injuries, people began to fall out, become unconscious and it created additional panic," Pena said at a press conference outside NRG Park.

This photo shows the full swing show of the Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston on Friday. AP

"We had at least eight confirmed fatalities tonight and scores of individuals that were injured," he said, adding the cause of death cannot be confirmed until after medical exams are completed.

"We transported 17 patients to the hospital... 11 of those that were transported were in cardiac arrest," he said.

Officials transported 17 people to the hospital, including 11 who were in cardiac arrest, Peña said. Many people were also treated at the scene at NRG Park, where a field hospital had been set up.

Approximately 50,000 people were in attendance at the festival, Peña said.

Scott was on stage when the incident occurred and stopped his act on several occasions when he saw fans in distress near the stage, the Houston Chronicle reported.