One dead, several injured after car hits Paris cafe

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, Police cordoned off the area in the city's 20th arrondissement
  • Author, Ruth Comerford
  • Role, 大象传媒 News

One person has died and several others are injured after a car ploughed into the terrace of a cafe in Paris on Wednesday.

District Mayor Eric Pliez said all those injured were customers of the cafe.

The driver initially fled the scene, in the French capital's 20th arrondissement, but was later arrested, officers added.

A possible motive was not immediately clear, but a police source told AFP news agency that it may have been a traffic accident.

France is on high security alert ahead of the Olympic Games, which kick off in Paris in nine days' time.

Earlier, police cordoned off the area close to where the car crashed, which French media said was Le Ramus restaurant on the corner of Avenue du P猫re-Lachaise and Rue Ramus.

The incident took place at 19:30 local time (17:30 GMT).

A passenger from the car was reported to have tested positive for alcohol consumption. There was no mention of the driver's condition in local reports.

Police and emergency services remained at the scene on Wednesday evening.