This is the shocking moment a smoker lit a cigarette at a petrol station - only to be engulfed in flames.

The driver was among a group of customers sitting outside a cafe when he struck a match and tossed it onto the ground, igniting a blaze that quickly spread.

Dramatic CCTV footage shows the diners scrambling to safety as flames erupted and roared toward a nearby fuel truck in Maranhao, Brazil.

The fire flared up beside the pumps and crept dangerously close to a parked motorcycle and car.

Quick-thinking attendants rushed to extinguish the flames with fire extinguishers, while the driver of a black hatchback sped away from the scene.

Another motorist quickly started his motorcycle and fled the station during the incident on November 3.

The petrol workers managed to bring under control the blaze that had engulfed the fuel hose nozzle attached to the tanker truck.

No injuries were reported.

A station attendant said they had already warned customers to stay clear of the area as a fuel delivery was about to take place.

The unloading operation was suspended until the situation was stabilised.

Fire officials later said the outdoor seating area where the man had been smoking was not included in the station's approved fire safety plan.

The fire department is expected to inspect the premises to assess ongoing safety conditions.

Lieutenant Wellington Soares Araujo from the Timon Fire Department said: ‘Petrol is highly volatile and releases flammable gases that can ignite easily when exposed to fire or sparks.

‘Smoking near fuel pumps is extremely dangerous due to the risk of explosions and fires.'