German police investigating overnight explosion at cafe in Cologne

An overnight explosion at a cafe in the German city of Cologne caused extensive damage to the property, injuring two residents, authorities said on Wednesday.

The explosion occurred at approximately 3 a.m. local time (0100GMT) in the Pesch district, triggering a fire that spread to the other parts of the building, the police said in a statement.

Two residents of the building suffered minor injuries due to smoke inhalation and were treated at the scene by emergency medical personnel.

The police were investigating whether the blast was connected to two other explosions earlier this month in front of a night club and a popular clothing store in Cologne's city center.

Since June, at least six properties were targeted with homemade explosives in Cologne, raising concerns about safety in the city. According to the local media reports, police suspect that drug gangs with links to mafia groups in the Netherlands could be behind the recent explosions.