2LT International News

ROME, Italy – In an incident that caused brief panic in Italy, a massive explosion was heard near the Bologna Airport in northern Italy on Monday.

Photos of the explosion immediately went viral after being posted online and showed a huge ball of fire and black smoke billowing into the sky at the scene of the blast. 

Photos and videos from the crash site also showed police deploying firefighters to the spot which was on the bypass in Borgo Panigale. 

The police later confirmed that the explosion was triggered by a road accident near the Bologna Airport.

Further, the police said that they had closed off the motorway where the crash took place. 

Surrounding areas in Borgo Panigale, on the outskirts of Bologna too were closed to traffic as emergency services dealt with the accident. 

Reports later revealed that a tanker exploded close to the airport, sending massive fireballs into the sky.

According to officials, the explosion was so powerful that it shook nearby buildings forcing residents to be evacuated.