A large explosion has destroyed an entire building said to house a home for the elderly in Madrid, with people urged to stay away from the scene.
Several floors of the building in the capital’s Toledo Street have been affected by the blast.
The cause has not yet been revealed although initial reports said it could be a gas explosion.
The building is understood to be next to a school where there are no reports of any casualties.
Police and firefighters are among the emergency services that have rushed to the scene - the Mirror UK reports.
Madrid's civil protection team tweeted: "Ongoing incident in the area of #PuertodeToledo. Please avoid the area and clear the way to emergency resources...will be informed if specific recommendations are necessary."
One Twitter user posted pictures of a building which has been decimated and said: "There has just been a terrible explosion on Calle Toledo."
Initial unconfirmed reports suggest it was a gas explosion.
Videos and pictures posted on social media show rubble in the street and people pouring out into the road as police vehicles arrive.
It appears several floors of a building have been destroyed in central Madrid.
It is unclear if there are any victims.
Spanish news site elDiario.es reports a strong explosion was registers shortly before 3pm.
The building, at 98 Toledo Street, has been badly damaged.
The news site says all evidence points to a gas explosion.
The building is next to a nursing home, a school and the Iglesia de la Paloma - the church of the parish of San Pedro el Real.
It has lost its roof and the partitions of five of its seven floors.
Spanish emergency services have said they have rushed to a building in Madrid city centre following an explosion.
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