Utrecht pizzeria in flames after explosion

A fire broke out in a New York Pizza building on Nobelstraat in the center of Utrecht after an explosion on Monday morning, local safety office Veiligheidsregio Utrecht said on Twitter. The fire department is at the scene in large numbers to extinguish the fire, NU.nl reports.

Exactly what caused the explosion is not yet clear, a spokesperson for the safety office said to the newspaper. It is also unknown whether anyone was in the building when the explosion happened. Paramedics are treating a number of people for smoke inhalation, the spokesperson said.

Large clouds of smoke can be seen above the Utrecht city center. The surrounding homes were evacuated and the fire brigade advises local residents to keep their doors and windows closed.