Firefighters are battling a major blaze at a warehouse complex in the port of Hamburg this morning, sending thick plumes of smoke across Germany’s largest seaport.

The Hamburg fire brigade said the alarm was raised late Monday afternoon, with more than 100 personnel and multiple fire engines deployed to contain the flames. The warehouse, located in the Waltershof district near the container terminals, has largely been destroyed.

Local authorities have warned residents in surrounding neighbourhoods to keep windows closed as a precaution, while shipping operations in adjacent berths have been partially restricted due to smoke and emergency access.

Firefighting operations will continue until midday, a fire department spokesperson said this morning. 

Five people have been injured so far as a result of the fire in the warehouse, in which several compressed gas cylinders continued to explode into the night, also setting fire to nearby areas. One of them is reportedly in critical condition, and a second is seriously injured. 25 people were evacuated from the danger zone.

The fire was caused by a fire in a vehicle parked in the warehouse. The flames then spread to the hall, where several pressurised gas cylinders, presumably filled with nitrous oxide, exploded. Burning debris also set neighbouring buildings and open spaces ablaze. Due to the explosions and flying debris, the fire could not be extinguished for a long time. Emergency personnel were forced to retreat several hundred meters. The police sent armoured water cannons to the scene for support. High-performance special vehicles from the airport fire department were also deployed.