A fire erupted on Monday in Iran's capital, Tehran, forcing a nearby five-star hotel to evacuate its guests, according to state media, as thick clouds of smoke rose over the area.
Columns of black and white smoke engulfed the towering hotel, AFP journalists saw, while flames in a nearby building were visible from surrounding rooftops.
According to a state television correspondent at the site, "guests inside the hotel were being evacuated to ensure their safety".
Tehran fire department spokesman Jalal Maleki said the blaze broke out in a storage area used by the hotel for food supplies, bedding and other flammable items, according to state news agency IRNA.
The fire "has so far caused no injuries", Maleki said, adding that it was "under control and... the cause of the incident will be announced after expert investigations".
Footage on state television showed fire trucks on site, as onlookers watched efforts to bring the fire under control.
Fires are common in Iran, especially during the hotter months, and mostly erupt in older buildings due to technical failures.
According to state news agency IRNA, the hotel, formerly the Royal Hilton, was built in the 1960s.
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