PARIS -- A gunman was taking hostage seven people in a travel agency in Paris 13th district on Friday, according to local report.

The armed man stormed Asieland agency at 6:30 p.m.local time (1730 GMT) in Boulevard Massena south Paris and held seven people, BFMTV news channel reported.

The agency's director succeeded to flee and alerted the police, it added.

Armed police have been on the site and a security perimeter has been been installed, according to the report.

On its tweeter account, Paris prefecture confirmed that an "intervention under way in an armed robbery. Drivers should avoid the area."