Several people have been killed after a tanker exploded at a petrol station in the capital of Ghana.

The explosion in the Legon suburb of north-west Accra on Saturday was followed by a secondary blast, and there were a number of casualties, authorities said.

Videos of the explosion posted on social media showed a blazing mushroom cloud.

Ghana's deputy information minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah said the fire had been controlled and firefighters were now controlling the second explosion.

He said "it is early days yet" to give figures on the number injured or dead, adding there were casualties.

Ambulances had been deployed, and those injured have been sent to hospitals, he said.

More than 200 police personnel were also deployed to help cordon off the area of the explosion, making it difficult to access.

The petrol station is near a transport terminal and close to some hostels for the University of Ghana in Accra.