BERLIN (AFP, REUTERS) - German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said there were many signs that the crash of a lorry into a bustling Berlin Christmas market on Monday (Dec 19) was an attack.

"I don't want to use the work 'attack' yet, although there are many things pointing to one," he told public television after at least nine people were killed in the incident.

A lorry ploughed into a busy Christmas market in Berlin, killing at least nine people and injuring dozens more in what police said was a suspected terror attack.

Ambulances and heavily armed police rushed to the area after the vehicle mounted the pavement of the market in a square popular with tourists, in horrific scenes reminiscent of July's deadly truck attack in the French Riviera city of Nice.

German authorities said there was no indication of "further dangerous situations in the city near Breitscheidplatz", where the suspected attack took place.

Police added that they had no indications yet about the nationality or age of the arrested man.

The suspect, who fled the crash scene and was later arrested, was being interrogated by officers, police spokesman Thomas Neuendorf told reporters.

He added that the crashed truck had a Polish licence plate and that German officials were in contact with Polish authorities.