A liquefied gas tanker exploded at a filling station in south Nigeria's Anambra State on Sunday night, wreaking havoc in the affected community, said local authorities on Monday.

Several vehicles and houses were burnt in the fire caused by the explosion, and no death or injury has been so far reported from the scene of the incident in the city of Onitsha in the central part of the state, according to the state's fire fighting agency.

Martin Agbili, the director of the Anambra State Fire Service, told reporters at the scene that the fire had spread to two nearby filling stations and an auto mechanic workshop with vehicles in the area as of Monday morning.

This, Agbili said, has thrown the workers and residents in the area into a panic, noting four fire trucks and a large number of firefighters were deployed to the scene battling the fire.

Adeoye Irelewuyi, a commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Anambra, said in a statement that the area has been cordoned off and traffic diverted, imploring the public to be calm and patient.