A fire at a correctional facility in the German town of Kleve injured 11 people, with three sustaining serious injuries, according to police and rescue services.

The blaze broke out in the cell of a 26-year-old inmate on Monday night, Kleve police said in a statement. The 26-year-old suffered serious burns and had to be flown via helicopter to a hospital in the nearby city of Duisburg.

Two prison staff members were also seriously injured, reported news agency dpa, citing local authorities.

Six other staff members and two other inmates were treated for smoke inhalation, but were released from the hospital, the fire department said.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but the head of the prison said he didn't think a suicide attempt was likely.

Prison head Udo Gansweidt told dpa that the 26-year-old had serving a sentence for robbery, but was due to be released in mid-October.

"No one kills themselves when they have just a few days left," Gansweidt said.

rs/jil (AFP, dpa)