A battery storage unit has been burning in the eastern Saxon city of Bautzen since late afternoon. Residents were evacuated and must keep windows and doors closed.
A power container holding batteries is burning at the Schlieben parking lot in Bautzen's Neustadt district. The facility balances power fluctuations and was disconnected from the grid. No power outages have occurred as a result.
Around 50 firefighters, the Technical Relief Agency and police are on site. Firefighters regularly measure pollutant levels in the air. Several residents were brought to a gymnasium.
Firefighting efforts are expected to continue at least until morning. The cause of the fire remains unclear.