Thick smoke can be seen billowing from the ship as emergency services attempt to stop the blaze from spreading to nearby buildings. Photo: Russian media

 

Emergency services are battling to douse a huge blaze in central Moscow after a boat anchored in the Moskva River went up in flames this afternoon.

Images and footage of the scene show fire crews fighting to contain the fire, which has spread over some 200 square meters and engulfed the entire vessel ? feared to be loaded with up to seven tons of fuel, according to Russian news agency TASS.

Thick smoke can be seen billowing from the ship as emergency services attempt to stop the blaze from spreading to nearby buildings.

Firefighters are attempting to stop the flames from spreading to nearby buildings. Photo: Russian media

According to Russian media, a lack of fire hydrants in the areas hampered early efforts to extinguish the blaze. Crews were forced to cut through the frozen river to pump water.

Emergency services discovered a ?likely illegal? electric cable running along the riverside, which posed an electrocution threat to the firefighting teams.