At least 13 people were killed and over 50 others injured when fire broke out in a downtown Paris hotel early Friday, the fire brigade said.

Among the injured, the condition of 10 was serious, they said.

Fire brigade spokesman Laurent Vibert said he expects the toll from the deadly blaze to climb.

"The number of dead and wounded for this tragic fire is still running and there are 13 people dead including a lot of children. More than 15 people are very seriously wounded. These 15 people need the help of emergency services."

"There's also approximately 50 people wounded but less seriously, but these also need to be taken to hospital in the region of Paris," Vibert said.

The blaze, which started at about 02:00 o'clock (01:00 GMT) in a hotel room, forced some guests to jump from windows for life.

More than 50 fire trucks and 10 ambulances were rushed to the six-storey Paris-Opera hotel, which is located in the 9th district of Paris, according to a fire service spokesman.

(Xinhua News Agency April 15, 2005)