FRANKFURT AM MAIN: Three people were hurt Wednesday in a blast at the German headquarters of discount supermarket Lidl, but police declined to confirm media reports of a letter bomb.

The explosion occurred in an administrative building at the company’s head offices in Neckarsulm, western Germany, shortly before 1400 GMT.

The three injured people were taken to hospital and around 100 employees were evacuated, according to the local Heilbronner Stimme newspaper, which said “a letter bomb had exploded”.

The blast triggered a large emergency response with police, several ambulances and a rescue helicopter pictured at the scene.

A police spokesman confirmed to AFP that a blast had occurred but declined to comment on the possible cause.

He also gave no details about the conditions of the three injured.