At least four persons were killed and one person critically injured after an oil tanker exploded at Itamati in Odisha on Saturday morning.

According to the reports, the incident took place when the local residents reached the place where a tanker had slid off the Bada Pandusara Bridge at Itamati.

The tanker was coming from Paradip at around 1.45 am when the driver lost control over it and fell off after hitting the fence of the bridge.

The locals rushed to the spot to launch a rescue operation right after the incident. The oil tanker exploded while the operation was underway, hence leading to the death of all four persons involved in the rescue operations.

The deceased persons have been identified as Pankaj Nayaj, Dipu Khatua, Sameer Nayak and Chandan Khatua. Rakesh Samantray, who was injured has been shifted to Bhubaneswar hospital after his conditions deteriorated at Nayagarh district headquarters hospital.

A case has been registered by the Itamati Police and further investigation is underway.