Police responding to a hostage-taking at a bank in the western German town of Sinzig said on Friday they do not believe any bank customers are among the hostages.
According to an earlier statement by police, one of the hostages is the driver of an armoured cash transport vehicle.
Jürgen Fachinger, a spokesman for police based in the nearby city of Koblenz, said: "There are no indications of any injured or dead, and we hope it stays that way."
Police special forces are on the scene, along with a negotiating team.
Fachinger did not say whether contact had been established with the hostage-takers.
"The operation is still ongoing, the situation is static. This is a hostage-taking — it can take time," Fachinger said.
A medical station was set up at a parish hall, a dpa reporter on the scene reported. A spokesman said this was purely a precautionary measure, describing it as a first-aid and treatment point.
