A major fire broke out at the former home of the German state operetta in Dresden, sending a large plume of smoke over part of the city and prompting the evacuation of two nearby residential buildings, authorities said late on Friday, Report informs via DPA.
"As emergency crews approached the scene, open flames and heavy smoke were already visible at the rear of the building," fire department spokesman Michael Klahre said in a press release.
More than 60 firefighters have been deployed to put out the fire, which sent large plumes of smoke over parts of the city and forced the evacuation of two nearby residential buildings.
The fire department said that nobody had been found inside the building, and no casualties have yet been reported.
Residents within a 1-kilometer radius have been urged to keep their windows and doors shut due to the "massive" amounts of smoke, the statement added.
Firefighters were unable to access the inside of the building because the heat and smoke "were too intense."
An operation was underway to prevent the blaze from spreading to neighboring buildings.