A loud boom was heard across several districts in the Italian capital after an accident at a gas station on Via dei Gordiani, in the Prenestino area, at around 8.15am

A huge fireball took over the skies in Rome, Italy, after an explosion at a petrol station this morning. The city was rocked by a huge explosion that shook through the east of Rome, at around 8am this morning, and was heard through most of the Italian capital.

Several people have been injured and residents have been forced to flee after an explosion at a petrol station in Rome on Friday morning. Images from the scene show an enormous orange fireball in the sky, and videos show a huge plume of dark grey smoke billowing over buildings in Rome.