A Molotov cocktail hurled at a Cairo restaurant has killed 16 people and wounded two on Friday, Egyptian security officials said.

One of the officials said the attacker was an employee who had been fired from the restaurant in the Agouza area in the center of the Egyptian capital, Reuters reported.

Victims of the blast were burned to death or died from smoke inhalation in the establishment. The restaurant, which also acts as a nightclub according to several media reports, was located in a basement and offered no escape routes, officials said.

Extremist militants have claimed a number of bombing and shooting attacks in Egypt, mostly against members of the security forces since the army toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013 after mass protests.

Related articles across the web

• Muslim Brotherhood Front Group Responds to Carson
• Egypt pardons Al Jazeera journalist
• Saudi Arabia suspiciously tries to get close to Muslim Brotherhood
• Egyptian army says it killed 55 Islamic State militants in Sinai, two soldiers killed
• Al Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were among 100 people pardoned by Egyptian pr
• Egyptian army says it killed 55 Islamic State militants in Sinai, two soldiers killed
• Egypt's Sisi pardons two Jazeera journalists: Presidency
• Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy pardoned by Egypt
• Breaking news: Egypt pardons Mohamed Fahmy
• Maryland: Muslims buying row houses from city to 'carve out a Muslim community'