A man who was being fired from his job shot dead five people and injured several others at his workplace in the US state of Illinois, police say.

The gunman was also killed during an exchange of fire with police officers. Five officers were shot and wounded.

The shooting took place at a manufacturing company in Aurora, a suburb about 40 miles west of Chicago.

Police named the gunman as Gary Martin, 45, who had worked at the Henry Pratt company for 15 years.

Aurora police chief Kristen Ziman said late on Friday they had information that indicates “he was being terminated today”.

Officers declined to speculate on a motive, but the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper reports that his family say he was “stressed out” by being made redundant by the company, which makes valves for large water pipes.