(CNN) Around 130 firefighters are tackling a large fire which broke out in the early hours of Thursday at a French chemical factory.

Schools and nurseries in 13 nearby towns have been closed, according to local authorities, and police have urged residents living near the Lubrizol plant in Rouen, Normandy, to limit their movements.

As thick, black clouds of smoke billowed from the factory, residents of the city complained of an oily residue being found on the streets and cars.

There are no reported victims at this stage, according to Reuters, and regional police said initial tests gave no indication of serious toxins in the air.

The fire started at 02:40am local time, police said and, with a cloud of smoke moving northeast, a strong smell might be present in the regions impacted.

#Incendie à #Rouen D'après nos nos informations, le sinistre s'est déclaré vers 3h dans un bâtiment de l'usine #Lubrizol, située quai de France. Il s'agit d'un site classé #Seveso. On ignore à ce stade les raisons de cet incendie qui se voit à plusieurs kilomètres. pic.twitter.com/Z37yhmu8N5 — paris_normandie (@paris_normandie) September 26, 2019

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