3rd LD Writethru: Birthday cake candles generate pub fire in northern France, killing at least 13

Candles lit on a birthday cake which fell to floor caused a fire in a pub in the northern French city of Rouen overnight, killing at least 13 people and injuring six others.

"Someone came down with a birthday cake with candles and fell down the stairs" and then "the candles were thrown onto the walls and ceiling" covered by soundproofing material, Laurent Labadie, vice-prosecutor of Rouen was quoted as saying by local media.

"There was an immediate ignition and spread of gas," he added.

A private birthday party was being held in the basement of the Cuba Libre bar when the fire broke out early Saturday.

The victims were between the ages of 18 and 25, according to local authorities.

"It's a totally accidental fire ... in a basement probably too small for the number of people who were there," Rouen's Mayor Yvon Robert told Europe 1 radio.

French President Francois Hollande pledged "everything will be done as part of the ongoing judicial inquiry to determine the causes of this tragic accident."

He also expressed "his emotion and sadness after the terrible fire," his office said in a statement.

The pub fire is the worst fatal blaze since 2005 in France. Endit