At least 56 people were injured and one person died following a major explosion on a highway near the northern city of Bologna, according to the police.
The accident happened when several cars were involved in a crash with a truck carrying flammables, according to the ANSA news agency.
A massive fireball bursting into the sky was captured by social media users.
On Twitter, the Bologna Police Department announced that the Via Marco Emilio Lepido highway and Borgo Panigale area have been closed to traffic and passenger crossings.
The cause of the accident is still unknown, but police cordoned off the explosion area due to smoke filling the air.
