Blaze is flooding toxic chemicals, sending black smoke over the German city and calling on residents to close their windows.
Police and firefighters have warned people in Hamburg, Germany, to close their windows after a major blaze engulfed several warehouses and spread black, chemical-laden smoke across the city.
About 140 people were evacuated on Sunday and it is not yet clear how dangerous the situation is, a police spokesman said.
A spokesman for the fire service said the threat level had been reduced somewhat, although the fire was still burning at noon (10:00 GMT), but people were told to stay indoors with closed windows.
Authorities said the fire started at about 04:00 (02:00 GMT) in the Rothenburgsort district, located in the eastern part of Germany’s second-largest city.
The smoke drifted towards the city center and stopped long-distance trains between Hamburg and Berlin and other cities.
A public safety alert conveyed via a mobile phone app advised people in Hamburg to close windows, turn off ventilation systems and air conditioning, and avoid the area. No injuries were reported.
Public broadcaster NDR said the fire involved containers containing hydrogen sulfide, a toxic and foul-smelling substance, forcing firefighters and police officers in the area to wear breathing apparatus.
The police spokesman said the sky had darkened as a result, but the weather made it difficult to determine how much was smoke and how much was cloud.
In July 2021, an explosion at a chemical park in the West German city of Leverkusen killed two people and injured dozens.