Firemen fight sewer system blaze in France

More than 100 firefighters are working to put out a fire in a section of the Paris sewer system near the famed Tuileries Gardens.

Police cordoned off the tourist-filled area in central Paris and evacuated about 30 people from nearby buildings. No injuries were reported.

Plumes of smoke seeped into the street in central Paris near the Tuileries Gardens when the fire was discovered at about 6.30am today.

Firefighters say the fire is centred on the high-voltage electric cables encased inside the sewer system that snakes through Paris.

Firefighters have doused the blaze with powder but to no effect. They then used foam.

Officials are investigating the cause of the fire.