<p>A van carrying oxygen cylinders exploded in Milan on Thursday, destroying around a dozen cars but causing no injuries beyond light burns to the driver, officials said.</p>.<p>Television footage showed flames metres high and black smoke sweeping across the Porta Romana residential neighbourhood south-east of the Italian city's cathedral, Duomo.</p>.<p>Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala was quick to rule out a deliberate attack, telling reporters on the sidelines of an event: "It's a van carrying oxygen cylinders."</p>.<p>Fire service officer Carlo Cardinali confirmed the vehicle had been carrying oxygen, saying the exact cause of the blast was still being investigated.</p>.<p>"At the moment, only the driver" had reported injuries, he told journalists at the scene, and he managed to escape with "light burns".</p>.<p>Another fire service spokesman earlier told AFP the person hurt had injuries to their arms and legs.</p>.<p>"I heard three big explosions and more that followed," Giuseppe, a 39-year-old labourer working on a site nearby, told AFP.</p>.<p>"I came straight away to see what was happening, and the whole street was on fire, people were running."</p>.<p>Footage published by the fire service suggested a powerful blast, showing what it said were about a dozen parked cars that had been completely burned out.</p>.<p>On the street between them, several canisters were visible next to the remains of a destroyed vehicle.</p>.<p>Buildings in the immediate vicinity were evacuated, including a school, while damage was reported to a nearby pharmacy and two apartments.</p>
<p>A van carrying oxygen cylinders exploded in Milan on Thursday, destroying around a dozen cars but causing no injuries beyond light burns to the driver, officials said.</p>.<p>Television footage showed flames metres high and black smoke sweeping across the Porta Romana residential neighbourhood south-east of the Italian city's cathedral, Duomo.</p>.<p>Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala was quick to rule out a deliberate attack, telling reporters on the sidelines of an event: "It's a van carrying oxygen cylinders."</p>.<p>Fire service officer Carlo Cardinali confirmed the vehicle had been carrying oxygen, saying the exact cause of the blast was still being investigated.</p>.<p>"At the moment, only the driver" had reported injuries, he told journalists at the scene, and he managed to escape with "light burns".</p>.<p>Another fire service spokesman earlier told AFP the person hurt had injuries to their arms and legs.</p>.<p>"I heard three big explosions and more that followed," Giuseppe, a 39-year-old labourer working on a site nearby, told AFP.</p>.<p>"I came straight away to see what was happening, and the whole street was on fire, people were running."</p>.<p>Footage published by the fire service suggested a powerful blast, showing what it said were about a dozen parked cars that had been completely burned out.</p>.<p>On the street between them, several canisters were visible next to the remains of a destroyed vehicle.</p>.<p>Buildings in the immediate vicinity were evacuated, including a school, while damage was reported to a nearby pharmacy and two apartments.</p>