A fire caused a partial collapse of a 300-metre communications mast in northern Netherlands Friday, knocking out television and radio stations, a local municipal official said.

The fire at the 300-metre-high (984 feet) television mast in Hoogersmilde in the Drenthe province, about 160 kilometres (100 miles) northeast of Amsterdam, broke out around 2:00 pm (1200 GMT), said Midden-Drenthe municipality spokeswoman Miriam Fokkema.

"There was a fire shortly before 2:00 pm and then at about 3:45 pm the upper part of the mast collapsed," Fokkema told AFP.

Dutch news agency ANP said a 200-metre-high metal mast collapsed on top of a 100-metre concrete tower after the fire broke out.

"Nobody is believed to have been injured," said Fokkema, adding that the area suffered severe communication problems with the tower used as a major broadcast hub for television, radio and telephone communications.