(Photo: agencies)

Dozens of people were killed on Monday following a gas explosion in Nasarawa State of Nigeria's central region, according to local media and sources.

Over 50 people with various degrees of burns have been rushed to a local hospital, local newspaper The Nation reported.

The incident was caused by a leakage from a local gas refill station in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

Livingstone Chukwu, a witness, told local media that the owner of the gas station took off to safety before the raging fire eventually engulfed the petrol and gas station, burning them to ashes with all the persons in the station at the time.

Eyewitness Favour Odinaka said many cars and also motorcycles were ablaze as the fire spread to a major express road leading to the Nigerian capital city Abuja.

Local authorities are yet to issue any statements on the incident.

Lafia is about 192.3 km to the Nigerian capital.