A fire in the center of Paris has left at least eight people dead, The Guardian reported, quoting French police.

Four others are injured and in critical condition in one of the city’s worst fires for a decade.

The eight victims included two who died after they attempted to escape through windows, according to police. Two children were reported to be among the dead.

At the height of the blaze, around 100 firefighters were on the scene, at rue Myrha in the 18th arrondissement.

The fire service declared that it had the blaze under control at around 7.30 am (05.30 GMT).

The fire began overnight in a five-storey residential building in the Goutte d’Or neighborhood in the north of the city. The fire started on the ground floor before spreading into the stairwell.

Local residents posted images of the fire, showing flames bursting from the roof and upper storeys of the building.
Source: MENA