Rome, Dec 9 (IANS): Two people were killed, and nine others injured in a massive explosion at an Eni fuel depot near Florence in central Italy on Monday, according to the Italian media Corriere della Sera. Another three individuals remain missing.

The explosion occurred around 10:15 a.m. at the Calenzano facility of Eni, shocking nearby residents. The blast shattered windows in surrounding buildings, prompting some residents to believe there had been an earthquake or a bomb.

Authorities instructed residents within a five-km radius of the depot to stay indoors and keep their windows shut due to potential health risks from the smoke. The explosion also disrupted regional train services.

The Calenzano facility, covering 170,300 square meters, stores petrol, diesel, and kerosene for later distribution, Xinhua news agency reported.

Eni, Italy's energy giant, said that the cause of the explosion is under investigation. The company confirmed that the flames were confined to a loading area and did not spread to nearby storage tanks.