Massive Warehouse Fire Rips Through Italian Port City

Explosions and colossal fire ripped through a shipbuilding facility Wednesday morning at an Italian port city on the Adriatic Sea, local media report.

At about 12:30 a.m. the first in a series of explosions rocked the port in Ancona in the Marche region of central Italy. The fire has since spread through nearly 40,000 square meters of warehousing and other buildings.

The area is known to have large amounts of flammable liquid in storage. Also nearby is a power station and a methane plant. Huge plumes of thick smoke rose over the city as the fire progressed.

As thick smoke rose over the city, at least 50 fire brigade units and 30 vehicles from Ancona and the surrounding cities of Pesaro and Macerata responded to the emergency, Corpo Nazionale Dei Vigili Del Fuoco reports. Firefighters also used emergency vehicles designed for airport fires.

The fire has since been declared under control but continues to burn inside the buildings involved.

City officials have closed local schools and parks, advising residents to shelter in place. No injuries have been reported.