Seven people have been killed by a fire in a nine-storey hostel housing immigrants in the eastern French city of Dijon. Two Georgian emigrants injured as a result of fire.
Firefighters in the department of Cote-d'Or said the blaze began in an outside rubbish bin at around 0130 (0030 GMT), and then spread to the main stairwell.
More than 130 people were evacuated from the building. Most are suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation.
The fire, the cause of which is unknown, has now been extinguished. It is said to have spread rapidly from the rubbish bin to the side of the hostel.
Insulation in the building helped the blaze spread and also generated large amounts of smoke, fire brigade Commander Jean-Louis Marc told AFP news agency. The thick, acrid smoke prevented many of the residents from escaping.
"Some people jumped out of windows," Mr Marc added. He was unable to say if any of them were among the dead.
Three of the 93 firefighters who battled the blaze were also treated for smoke inhalation. The hostel is managed by the state-owned company, Adoma, which specializes in housing facilities for immigrants, according to AFP.
