BANGUI (Reuters) - Heavy fighting erupted in Central African Republic's capital Bangui early on Sunday and rebels seeking to topple the government reached the presidential palace, city residents said.

"The (rebels) are in the city centre now where the presidential palace is... There's a lot of gunfire around the palace and even here where we are," said an employee at a hotel about 300 meters (yards) from the palace.

(Reporting by Ange Aboa; Editing by Louise Ireland)