VIDEO: Massive fire consumes high-rise in Milan, residents evacuated

Gulf Today Report

A massive fire engulfed a 20-storey apartment building in Milan, northern Italy, on Sunday, according to firefighting teams, without indicating that there were immediate casualties.

The building is located in the southern suburb of the capital of the Lombardy province, and its upper floors caught fire around 17:30 local time.

"The fires then moved to the lower floors," the fire brigade wrote in a tweet.

"Firefighters are going from apartment to apartment, breaking through doors to check that there are no people inside," Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala told local media.

“We are optimistic, because there was plenty of time to leave,” Giuseppe said.

Dozens of fire brigade vehicles and ambulances rushed to the scene.

About 70 families are staying in the building and relief teams are working on Sunday evening to contact them to find out if there are any missing.

Local media reported that about 20 residents of the building fell ill after inhaling toxic smoke.