Fire causes evacuation of French radio HQ

A fire at the Paris headquarters of French state radio is sending columns of thick black smoke out of more than a dozen windows.

Photos of the scene on Friday afternoon show smoke pouring from the upper stories of the massive Maison de la Radio in the capital's 16th arrondissement. It was undergoing renovations when the fire began.

The building was safely evacuated around 1pm according to Radio France journalist Corinne Audoin, interviewed on television i-tele.

The building, nicknamed "The Round House" for its circular design, was built in 1963 and houses studios for some of France's most popular radio stations. Renovations have been ongoing for years, notably to modernise its anti-fire protections.