German police investigate explosion in central Cologne

German police and prosecutors are investigating an explosion that occurred in central Cologne early Monday, a police spokesperson said, adding that there was no indication of a terrorist motive for the crime.

A bystander suffered a mild injury and was brought to hospital after the explosion damaged commercial property on the Hohenzollernring ring road, the spokesperson said.

Damage was visible outside a nightclub called Vanity in the western city.

The spokesperson declined to confirm a link to a series of explosions across the state of North-Rhine Westphalia in recent months that have been attributed to an organised crime gang, but said that all possibilities were being investigated.