Dozens of firefighters fought a series of blazes in central Gothenburg on Saturday that led to the evacuation of several buildings.

A fire in a storage room broke out in the morning and later spread to the facades of other buildings, drawing 45 firefighters to the scene, daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported.

"It was very dramatic, people rushed out of the buildings. The fire spread through the buildings and the facades of other buildings started to glow," local resident Karin Cederblad told the paper.

No injuries were reported and firefighters said the blazes were under control at midday.

Police reported the incident as attempted aggravated arson but said it did not have specific knowledge of how the fires were started.

The affected area of Gothenburg, Sweden's second city, is known for having many buildings protected by authorities for their historical importance.