A tank containing diesel fuel has exploded during maintenance work at Marathon Detroit Refinery, forcing a mandatory evacuation order for a nearby area. One employee has been injured in the blast, authorities said.

Reports of the explosion and fire came in just before 6 pm local time.

Authorities on the ground say the explosion injured an employee. The incident occurred during a maintenance check.

Marathon spokesman Shane Pochard tells the Detroit Free Press the small fire Wednesday morning was extinguished quickly and the worker had minor injuries.

The adjacent city of Melvindale however ordered a partial evacuation due to concerns over air quality from the fire rise. State police also closed ramps from I-75 to Schaefer in both directions.

“Police have blocked Fort Street off by I-75 south … oh my goodness … there’s an ambulance out here, a fireman standing outside, you know, it doesn’t look like they are trying to get close. They are not trying to go in there,” one listener told the local radio station.

A witness, Dan Taylor told the Detroit News that “I saw the fire ball. The whole top of the tank was on fire and you could see it melted.”

FULL STORY & VIDEO: http://rt.com/usa/explosion-refinery-detroit-tanker-520/