ANKARA

Firefighters struggled for hours to douse a massive fire that engulfed a rice mill warehouse in Yilan County, Taiwan on Monday, said local media.

There were no immediate reports of injuries, according to local broadcaster TVBS.

The fire sent plumes of thick black smoke into the air that were visible for miles along National Freeway No. 5, a major transportation artery connecting the capital Taipei to Yilan County.

Five fire brigades with over two dozen firefighters from the Yilan County Fire Department were immediately dispatched to combat the blaze.

The fire fully engulfed the 3,000-square-meter warehouse, with flames reaching several stories high and threatening nearby agricultural structures.

No employees were present in the facility when the fire started.

The fire department has launched an investigation into the cause of the blaze, with officials examining whether an electrical malfunction or improper storage of agricultural chemicals might have contributed to the fire's rapid spread.