Hamburg fire: Police warn people to close windows as huge blaze causes 'extreme danger'

Residents of Hamburg, Germany have been ordered to close their windows, turn off ventilation and air conditioning after a massive fire broke out. is declared in the district of Rothenburgsort at 4:30 in the morning. Sunday

Huge flames rise from a fire in Hamburg, Germany (

Image: AP)

Police warned residents of Hamburg to close their windows today after a large fire tore through two warehouses, sending smoke billowing over the German city.

The fire broke out around 4:30 a.m. in the Rothenburgsort district, located in the east of Germany's second-largest city, the dpa news agency reported.

The chemical-laden smoke drifted towards the city center, blocking long-distance trains between Hamburg and Berlin as well as other major cities.

A public safety alert delivered via a mobile phone app advised Hamburg residents to close windows, turn off ventilation and air conditioning, and avoid the area. No injuries were reported.

Police walk along the tracks at Hamburg-Rothenburgsort station after the fire (

Picture:

Jonas Walzberg/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

An official warning classified the fire and smoke in the city as an "extreme danger".

Public broadcaster NDR said the blaze involved containers with hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous and foul-smelling substance, requiring firefighters and police in the area to wear breathing apparatus.

Several police, firefighters and other emergency services rushed to the scene and 140 people were forced to evacuate the area.