Explosion injures 45 people at petrol station in Rome

More than 40 people have been injured after a huge explosion at a Rome petrol station caused widespread damage.

Reports say emergency services were already at the scene in the Prenestino neighbourhood on Friday after a tanker truck hit a pipe while manoeuvring, causing a gas leak and smaller initial blast at around 08:00 local time (07:00 BST).

Shortly afterwards, a second, larger explosion rocked the area after a fire broke out.

Police said 45 people in total were injured in the incident, including police officers.

Footage of the blast shows a giant fireball and thick black smoke filling the sky, with the explosion reportedly heard across the city, rattling nearby windows and buildings.

Rome's mayor Roberto Gualtieri visited the charred remains of the petrol station and an adjacent sports centre.

He told local news outlets the explosions had caused "enormous damage" and had injured residents and at least 21 emergency service workers including police and firefighters.

Two men are in a life-threatening condition after suffering major burns - including a man who had reportedly been pulled by rescue teams from a burning car.

Photographs and footage from the scene showed widespread devastation after the blast, including burnt out vehicles and buildings.

Emergency services are continuing to work at the scene.

The mayor added that shortly after the initial explosion, people from nearby buildings, including a sports centre had been evacuated by emergency teams, avoiding what could have been a "much more serious tragedy".

One eyewitness, Massimo Bartoletti told local news outlet Roma Repubblica: "I saw the first explosion with the classic fireball. Shortly after came the second one which was hellish."

"A fiery mushroom formed in the sky. It made the whole area shake. It looked like hell, everything was flying in the sky," he added.

Balzani Fabio, head of a nearby sports centre that was destroyed in the blast said the first fire happened at around 07:30 local time (06:30 BST).

"If it had happened at 08:30 or later it would have been a massacre, a catastrophe," he told AFP.

He added that around 60 children were due to be at the site for a summer camp, with around 120 people booked to use the swimming pool that morning.

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is said to be closely monitoring the situation.

In a post on X she wrote: "I express my closeness to all those who are injured -- including law enforcement officers, firefighters and health workers -- and I extend my heartfelt thanks to those involved in the rescue and safety operations".