A fire broke out Saturday in a building in a northern Paris suburb, killing three people and injuring eight, including a child who is in a critical condition, officials said.

Police said the fire started at 2:00 am (0100 GMT) on the ground floor of the building in Stains, an immigrant-majority town about 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Paris.

Twenty-four fire engines and 88 firefighters battled to douse the blaze and one fireman was slightly injured.

The other residents of the building were evacuated and given shelter in a sports hall.

An enquiry has been launched into the cause of the fire.