America News Agency

Chemicals are stored in the building and people in the area have been warned of toxic fumes.

According to the Berliner Zeitung, the burning factory in West Berlin belongs to Diehl Metal Applications GmbH, a metal engineering group active in the arms industry.

According to Bild, it is an arms manufacturer supplying air defense systems to Ukraine.

Images from the scene show thick smoke and residents in nearby streets are advised to keep doors and windows closed.

Around 170 firefighters are on the scene at the factory where the chemicals are stored. A spokesperson for Berlin's emergency services told Bild that four floors of the building were completely burned and parts of it had collapsed.

Emergency crews wearing protective suits confirmed that chemicals such as sulfuric acid and copper cyanide were present in the building. They warn of the risk of toxic substances forming in the air and spreading with the smoke.

According to Bild, people are being advised to avoid the area, students and teachers at nearby schools have been sent home and nearby shops have been closed.

There is no information yet about anyone being injured in connection with the fire.