Sixteen people have been killed in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, after firebombs were thrown into a restaurant, officials say.

The attack happened in the Agouza area, in the city centre.

Egypt's interior ministry said it appeared to have followed a row between workers and others at the venue, which also housed a nightclub.

Media reports say three masked men threw the devices into the venue before fleeing.

Reuters news agency said the restaurant was in the basement of the building, making it harder for people to escape.

Video from the scene showed thick, grey smoke billowing out of a doorway at street-level as passers-by tried to get close. Flames could be seen inside the entrance, as one man used a fire-extinguisher to try to tackle the blaze.

The victims died from burns or the effects of inhaling smoke, it said. At least five other people were injured.

Cairo has previously been rocked by a series of attacks on security forces and civilians carried out by suspected Islamist militants.

An Islamist insurgency intensified in the wake of the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.