MAINZ, Germany — Police are investigating after an explosion rocked central Cologne in western Germany on Monday. The explosion took place in the entrance way of the Vanity nightclub in the Hohenzollernring area, known as a main entertainment district of Cologne, at around 5.50 a.m. local time, a police spokesman told NBC News. Several glass windows apparently burst in the explosion “and could have likely harmed more people, if the explosion had occurred at a later time,” the spokesman said. Local authorities said in a post on X on Monday that a "major" police operation was underway as they urged residents to avoid the Hohenzollernring area. Police told NBC News that the area is under CCTV surveillance and that the footage will be part of the ongoing investigation.

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Persons: Andy Eckardt, Chantal Da Silva Organizations: Germany — Police, NBC News, Police Locations: MAINZ, Germany, Cologne, Mainz, London