Several people have been injured, including three with severe burns, after a petrol station exploded in Rome.
The massive blast was heard across the city and sent huge flames and plumes of thick black smoke billowing into the air.
People living nearby in the Prenestino district described their windows shaking from the explosion before they fled in panic.
One said: ‘I heard a very loud explosion, it sounded like a bomb.’ Another added: ‘All the windows shook. I thought it was an earthquake.’
Local news website Roma Today published a picture showing a huge cloud of smoke and fire high above the gas station.
Rome’s public transport agency Atac said it closed a nearby metro station ‘Teano’ following instructions from police.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
