Massive explosion rocks city with people told to ‘please stay inside’

This is the disturbing moment multiple explosions rocked a neighbourhood in the US after an incident at an industrial facility.

Footage showed flames shooting far into the sky in suburban Detroit on Monday night, forcing residents to hide inside.

Debris were scattered as far as a mile away, but authorities still do not know what was burning or the potential health effects from it.

‘We can not stress enough the danger that is happening right now,’ a police post said. ‘Please, please, please stay inside and out of the vicinity.’

Firefighters battle the industrial fire in the Detroit suburb of Clinton Township (Picture: AP)

Police said the fire was burning near 15 Mile Road and Groesbeck Highway.

Videos circulating on social media showed a bright orange area of fire with bursts of flames within the blaze that looked like explosions.

Kevin Felster told The Detroit News he was on his way to Clinton Township when he saw the fire and heard the explosions.

He got out of his car and saw pieces of metal – from the size of a spray can to the size of a car wheel – on the ground.

Debris were scattered as far as a mile away (Picture: Twitter)

‘It was heavy stuff and it was all charred black,’ Felster said.

‘I guarantee you… if that came flying through the air at any velocity at all, it would just shatter your head like nothing.’

It was not immediately known if anyone was injured in the fire, but flames were contained after several hours.

Macomb county executive Mark Hackel told WDIV-TV that the explosions started around 9 pm at the Select Distributors plant.

It took several hours for fire crews to extinguish the raging flames (Picture: Channel 4/Twitter)

Clinton Township officers and firefighters immediately responded.

‘They understand some type of CO2 or propane explosions were taking place at the facility, and again, it was just continuous explosions, as well as the fire,’ Hackel said.

‘Their concern right now is – obviously they’re taming the fire, but now, what’s going on with that air quality?

‘We have a HAZMAT unit that’s out trying to test the air quality so we can get further updates.’

Select Distributors is a wholesale supplier of novelties, phone accessories and other merchandise to discount stores, dollar stores, wholesalers and other stores, according to its website.

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