Fire rages after explosion at gas station in Berwyn, Illinois

Firefighters on scene of Berwyn gas station fire

04:58

A fire was raging Thursday afternoon at a gas station in the west Chicago suburb of Berwyn.

A column of flames was spewing from the BP station at the northeast corner of Ogden and Oak Park avenues late in the afternoon.

The office and convenience store structure at the gas station appeared to have exploded, and was lying in ruins with some areas flame.

Witnesses reported hearing a large boom. Officials said no one was inside the gas station building at the time.

Firefighters battled the blaze with fog nozzles, spraying a curtain of water around the flames and working to keep explosive vapors at bay.

It was not clear what was burning, but it did appear to be a substance under pressure — and may have been natural gas rather than gasoline.

Firefighters were not trying to put out the fire, but rather waiting for the source of pressure behind the flames to be valved off and shut down.

The flames also spread to a tree and power lines nearby, potentially causing power outages.

The City of Berwyn said some residents nearby were being evacuated.

A lightning strike may have ignited the flammable substance as storms pounded the area Thursday afternoon.