By Rachel Clun
An explosion occurred at a petrol station in Rome on Friday morning, resulting in injuries and the evacuation of residents.
Images and videos from the scene depicted a large orange fireball and a significant plume of dark grey smoke over the Prenestino district.
Eight police officers and one firefighter were reportedly injured as fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
The incident involved an initial fire followed by two rapid explosions, with the second being the most significant, occurring around 8:18 am local time.
Debris was scattered across a nearby sports field, and police are continuing to assess the area for further damage.