Villingen-Schwenningen: A major fire that swept through the historic old town of Villingen-Schwenningen in southwestern Germany has been extinguished, but fire crews remain on site to monitor for potential flare-ups, police said today.

According to Oman News Agency, the blaze erupted last evening and quickly spread to multiple houses, causing damages estimated in the millions of euros. Local authorities have launched an investigation into the cause, which remains unknown.

Officials reported that four residents sustained minor injuries, while three firefighters received medical treatment, two of whom were hospitalized. The fire produced a massive plume of smoke that hovered over the town, located in the state of Baden-Wrttemberg.

Two of the six affected houses partially collapsed overnight, with the risk of further collapses remaining high.