News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

At least 12 people, including six police officers, have been injured after a Molotov cocktail was thrown into a restaurant in Paris following a botched robbery, it was claimed.

Three of the victims - diners or staff - were said to have been badly burned and witnesses reported seeing a petrol bomb being tossed at the restaurant, French media reported.

Those three victims were airlifted to hospital after the Molotov cocktail exploded and sent flames through a five-storey building where the restaurant is located.

The six police officers suffered minor injuries as they responded and helped the victims on Sunday night.

Photos posted on social media showed firefighters, paramedics and armed police at the scene in Aubervilliers in the French capital's northern suburbs.

Freelance journalist Clement Lanot said on Twitter that the arson was linked to a "robbery gone wrong".

After speaking to emergency services, he said two people were in a serious condition and 10 others had suffered injuries that weren't as grave.

Other reports stated that three victims were in a serious condition.

About 50 firefighters were sent to the scene, in the commune of Seine-Saint-Denis, to tackle the flames, Le Parisien reported.

As the fire destroyed the restaurant, it sent a massive amount of smoke through the building, complicating the search for potential victims, a source told Le Figaro.

The three victims who were badly burned were rushed to hospital by helicopter, a source told AFP.

Police have not commented on the motive for the attack.

The incident occurred shortly before 8.30pm local time as results came in following the first round of legislative elections in France.

Seine-Saint-Denis has been the site of numerous disturbances in recent years, including terrorist incidents and rioting.

France remains under a state of emergency following a series of terror attacks, but there was no suggestion that Sunday night's fire had links to terrorism.