Explosion on the ground floor of an apartment building in Cologne

After the explosion, a cafe on the ground floor of an apartment building in Cologne burned to the ground. Residents reported a loud explosion shortly before 3 a.m., police said. The cafe was soon engulfed in flames and its windows were shattered. Firefighters managed to put out the fire, but the building was badly damaged.

The building was evacuated as the fire was extinguished and residents were then able to return to their apartments. No one was injured.

There have been a series of explosions in Cologne in recent times. The actions are said to be motivated by gang conflicts. Police initially did not say whether the latest explosion was connected to the series.