MADRID - A blast at the Port of Barcelona has killed a person and "affected" another, emergency services in the northeastern Catalonia region said on Tuesday, adding the ensuing fire had been put out.

In a post on social messaging platform X, the emergency services said the explosion took place during maintenance work at the so-called "Energy Wharf", where chemicals, natural gas and refined petroleum products are loaded.

Barcelona's city hall said in a statement it had received an alert "for a fire caused by the explosion of a transport tank" at 10:40 am (0940 GMT) and subsequently activated its chemical risk emergency plan.

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The companies in the area have ordered the confinement of their staff as a precautionary measure, the statement added.