The explosion occurred in Deerlijk (West Flanders) around 9AM.

“A roofer noticed something was wrong with a gas canister loaded on the truck.  He and his companion decided to park the vehicle and take a look.  It was then that the canister exploded” the fire service says.

A nearby bank branch incurred some damage but nobody was hurt.  All remaining gas canisters have meanwhile been removed.  The area was closed to traffic for a while.

The local mayor says an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the blast.