A fire lit up a river when a passerby tossed a cigarette butt into the water without knowing it contained petrol discharge.

Smartphone footage recorded in the city of Yiyang in Henan, China, showed thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky from the Zi River on February 27.

Onlookers stopped to watch the surreal scene unfolding before them. Firemen quickly rushed to the scene to battle the flames which swiftly spread across the water's surface.

Fire department officials confirmed the incident, and said: 'This is indeed the case. The specific situation is not convenient to disclose.'

Longguangqiao community authorities said that nobody was injured in the incident. They are reportedly investigating the cause of the fire.

Chinese media reported that the waterway caught fire possibly due to a fuel leak, triggered by a cigarette butt thrown into the river by a passerby.