French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen was slightly injured on Monday in an accidental fire at his house outside Paris, a police source told AFP.

The fire at Le Pen's house in Rueil-Malmaison is thought to have started in a chimney where work was being carried out, the source said. 

"The house burned, my father was inside," said Marine Le Pen, who now leads the National Front party that her 86-year-old father founded. 

"His face was injured, but it is not serious, nothing to worry about," she told AFP. 

The elder Le Pen "fell while trying to escape the flames", according to another source. 

He and his wife were looked after by firefighters, but did not require hospitalization. 

Le Pen set up the anti-immigrant and anti-establishment National Front party in 1972. His daughter took over the party in 2011 and has overseen a huge boost in its fortunes, with the party coming first in France's EU elections last year. (+++++)