Hazmat response as witnesses report 'huge fire, lots of explosions' at scrap yard in Chicago

Huge plumes of black smoke and flames could be seen rising into the sky on Sunday morning in Chicago, Illinois, as a "huge" fire erupted at an industrial facility, according to witnesses.

The Chicago Fire Department described the situation as "hazmat" on Twitter. The Sun-Times reports HazMat teams are responding to the fire that broke out at around 9 am local time.

Locals took up to social media, saying they have woken up to scenes of huge fire, being seen from a distance.

The "billowing smoke" was coming from a metal recycling plant in Lincoln Park area in Chicago's North Side, according to NBC Chicago.

Firefighting crews are on the scene responding to the incident which started around 9am, the Chicago Fire Department said, adding that the fire is in the recycling plant's scrap yard near Cortland and Armitage Avenue.

There have been no reports of casualties so far.

Earlier this week, a fire in the Pilsen Chicago neighborhood  destroyed a three-story building which housed a family-operated restaurant popular with both locals and international visitors since its opening in 1962.