PARIS, Aug. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Seventeen people have been killed and 22 others were injured in a deadly fire in a seven-storey apartment fire in southeast Paris overnight early Friday, said Paris firefighters.

    The fire broke out just past midnight in an old apartment building in the 13th district of Paris. The blaze started from the building's stairwell and quickly spread from the 3rd to the 6th floor, fire brigade captain Jacques Dauvergne said.

    Seventeen people died in the fire, including four children. Among the 22 injured, two are in severe condition.

    Residents in the building are mostly immigrates from the west African countries of Senegal, Mali and Cote Devoire. The town hall said 12 families including 33 adults and a hundred children lived in the building. They are in urgent need for a new home.

    After receiving the fire alarm, 210 firemen rushed to the building for the rescue at 2:30 local time (0030 GMT). The blaze was put down at 2:54 local time (0054 GMT).

    Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy and the chief of Paris police station also went to the scene. Mayor Bertrand Delanoe is on his way back from the southwestern town of La Rochelle. He was quoted as saying that he was "shocked" and expressed his "deep emotion" at the tragedy.

    The reason of the fire is yet to be known. A criminal investigation has been started. Enditem