Forty-five people were injured in a massive explosion at a petrol station in the Italian capital Rome on Friday.
Two of the people are in critical condition and a further four were seriously injured and are receiving hospital treatment, according to the emergency services.
ANSA news agency reported around 45 people were injured, including citizens and emergency services personnel.
Among them were 11 police officers, one member of Italy's Carabinieri police force, six firefighters, and three paramedics, who were treated by emergency services and helpers.
The incident occurred in the Prenestino district, not far from Termini central station, shortly after 8am local time, the fire brigade said initially.
Emergency services were already on site responding to reports of a gas leak and had begun evacuation measures.
Initial findings suggest the explosion was caused by liquid gas that leaked out and caught fire as it was being transferred to a tanker truck at a gas depot at a petrol station, which burned down.
It looked like a war zone, Lieutenant Colonel Antonino Giorgio of the Carabinieri told journalists.
Giorgio was injured when he was hit by the heat wave. "I only regret that we couldn't save more people," he said.
Hours later, some areas around Via dei Gordiani still smelled of smoke and the sound of cicadas was loud in the otherwise quiet street.
The windows of some houses were broken and there were shards of glass lying on the ground.
Firefighters cordoned off the area of the explosion. "My mother said it was like a bomb," Simona Pantaleo told dpa.
Shortly after the explosion, she drove to her 85-year-old mother's house to make sure she was safe, like many others in the densely populated neighbourhood.
About five hours later, they were still waiting for relatives who were being examined by emergency services.
The operation was difficult because there was an ambulance depot next to the petrol station where oxygen cylinders were stored, said Carabinieri Major Andrea Quattrocchi.
Officers are checking the suspicion that the leak of liquid gas could have been caused by the tanker hitting a conductive pipe, he said.
The exact circumstances of the explosion are still under investigation.
A sports centre with a tennis court was damaged next to the petrol station, and a nearby summer camp with eight children was evacuated in the morning.
According to dpa reporters, people heard and felt the explosion in several parts of the city. Surrounding buildings were damaged.
The mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, appealed to the population on social media to leave the affected area as a precaution.
The blast came amid a lengthy heatwave in the Italian capital, with temperatures above 38C.
Medical tents were set up at the scene, and the city of Rome called on people to keep their windows closed and not to use external air conditioning.
Politicians expressed sympathy and support, as did Pope Leo XIV.