Several persons were feared dead and many others injured on Saturday in an explosion at a gas station along Arakale Road in Akure.

Eyewitnesses said the fire started at about 7pm during the sale of gas within the station.

"We just heard a loud explosion and fire coming out of the gas station and we all ran.

"The fire suddenly engulfed the cars parked along the road and the buildings surrounding it," an eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent.

The station is located not far from a branch of the United Bank for Africa and a church along the road.

It was not clear how many died in the incident as men of the fire service were still battling to put out the fire as of the time of filing this report.

In the midst of the commotion, some persons were being taken to the hospital by emergency workers at the scene.

Residents, who were angry over the delay of the fire fighters in arriving at the scene, attacked the firefighters with stones to express their displeasure.

It took the effort of men from the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure to curtail the mob and allow the fire fighters do their job.‎