Theme park evacuates 25,000 people after ride catches on fire

Authorities have evacuated the Europa-Park amusement park in southwest Germany, after a fire broke out at the theme park.

"The park has been completely cleared," a police spokesman said.

There were about 25,000 people at the theme park when the fire started, according to police estimates.

The blaze began around the attraction called "The Pirates of Batavia", the theme park said via Twitter.

"The fire is still expanding quickly," a local fire department employee said.

"We still don't have the situation under control."

Authorities were battling to prevent the blaze from spreading to other attractions at the park in the small town of Rust, near the French border.

There were no injuries reported in the incident, the police said.