Scores of people are reported killed in an explosion at an industrial gas plant in southern Nigeria.

A truck is said to have exploded as it was off-loading butane cooking gas in the town of Nnewi in Anambra State.

Reports of casualties vary from 35 to more than 100 people killed, including factory workers and neighbours.

Local police have confirmed the incident but have yet to provide further details. A huge fire reportedly followed the blast.

The dead and injured are being taken to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in Nnewi.

A witness told the Vanguard newspaper that the blast was triggered when a truck began discharging cooking gas without waiting for the mandatory cooling time.

People who had come to fill up their gas cylinders were caught up in the explosion as well as passersby, the newspaper reported.

Witnesses say the explosion caused a huge fire that firefighters and residents took several hours to put out.