Danes stunned by fireworks blaze

The blaze sparked one of the country's largest firefighting efforts

The clean-up has begun after a massive blaze at a fireworks factory in western Denmark, which left one person dead and destroyed at least 20 homes.

Some of the 2,000 residents evacuated when the fire broke out at the N.P. Johnsens factory in Kolding have been allowed to return home.

As many as 350 buildings, including homes and businesses, were damaged.

One firefighter was killed and dozens of emergency workers were injured in the blaze, which started on Wednesday.

'Moon landscape'

The fire set off a chain of explosions that devastated the surrounding area.

"It looks like a moon landscape, this looks worse than the many war zones I have seen," Defence Minister Soeren Gade said during a visit to the site.

The blackened landscape was littered with debris, gutted cars and damaged houses.

But several areas were reopened to residents on Friday.

Firefighters were still extinguishing small blazes, and police investigators and army explosives experts surveyed the area.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, authorities said.

Police said they believed the plant was storing more than its licensed 300 tonnes of fireworks.

The factory has denied any wrongdoing.