A BP fuel station exploded and caught fire after a storm-damaged power line ruptured a gas pipe in Illinois.

Footage shows the inferno engulfing the remains of the establishment in Berwyn on July 25. Residents across the street watched as flames burst from broken pipes.

An onlooker said: ‘The gas station by me exploded right in front of me. A downed power line cut into the concrete and ruptured a gas line. Power was out for a while.'

Berwyn police said emergency crews were already at the location around 3:42 pm, repairing electrical lines knocked over by strong winds when the blast happened at 3:49 pm, at the BP station.

The explosion shattered the windows of nearby businesses, including Novi's Beef restaurant. Manager Tom Zednik said: ‘The roof shot about two-three hundred feet in the air and then it just came down. It just shook us, and thank God we have double-pane glass, because our windows shattered instantly.'

Eyewitness Michelle Donnamario added: ‘It started off as a small little fire behind the gas station. Everyone got out, that I saw… then the huge boom. My neighbours said it looked like a nuke went off.'

Roads near the blast site were closed to traffic while emergency personnel secured the area.

Despite the destruction, no one was injured. Investigations are ongoing into the cause of the explosion.