Paris: Fire at Ritz Carlton hotel where Princess Diana spent last evening of her life

A fire has broken out at the iconic Ritz Carlton hotel in Paris. Flames have engulfed the top floor of the building, which had been under renovation for three years and is located in Place Vendome, at the centre of the French capital.

Diana, Princess of Wales had dinner at the hotel before leaving with her friend, Dodi Al-Fayed, and becoming involved in a car chase with paparazzi that ended in her death in August 1997.

The area has been cordoned off by police that said there are no known casualties. Smoke could be seen billowing from the building, as firefighters are at work to put down the flames, using cranes to spray the blaze.

Paris authorities have urged motorist to avoid the area surrounding the hotel at the height of the morning rush. Numerous images of the blaze, which broke out early in the morning of 19 January, have been uploaded on social media.