Seven dead in Paris building blaze: fire service

Seven people died and another was seriously injured in a building fire in a wealthy Paris neighbourhood on Monday night, the fire service said.

The blaze in the French capital's trendy 16th arrondissement also left 27 people -- including three firefighters -- with minor injuries.

"The toll could still increase because the fire is still in progress on the 7th and 8th floors" of the eight-storey block, a fire service spokesman told AFP at the scene.

Some of those affected scrambled on to nearby roofs to escape the smoke and flames, and needed to be rescued by fire crews.

With landmarks including the Trocadero overlooking the Eiffel Tower, Paris Saint-Germain's home stadium the Parc des Princes, the picturesque Bois de Bologne and an array of upmarket shops and restaurants, the area is popular with tourists.

Around 200 firefighters were still at the scene in the early hours of Tuesday, battling the blaze and treating the injured.

(AFP)