A warehouse in central Moscow holding a reported 15 tonnes of fireworks caught fire on Saturday, sending a huge cloud of smoke and a fusillade of explosions over the area.

Three firefighters and a warehouse employee were injured and one firefighter was admitted to hospital.

Three helicopters and a fireboat were sent to help put out the blaze at the warehouse, which sits 320 feet from the Moscow River near the sprawling Luzhniki sports complex.

The cause of the fire was not immediately determined.