A man has been arrested by Spanish police after driving a truck filled with gas canisters the wrong way on a major road.

The vehicle rammed several cars near Barcelona's harbour before police fired shots to stop it, according to local reports.

Mireia Ruiz, who witnessed the incident from her home, said the driver ignored people urging him to stop as he sped down the wrong side of the ring road.

"When people shouted at him, he would laugh and make offensive gestures with his hand," she told AFP.

Image: Police at the scene. Pic Elperiodico.cat

TVE news reported that the butane truck had been stolen while the owner was carrying out a delivery.


"We detained a person who was of Swedish nationality," a police spokesman said.

The 32-year-old was not injured in the shooting, but a bullet hole could be seen in the windscreen.

The interior ministry said the driver had a history of psychiatric problems.

"The detained driver of the stolen butane gas truck has a psychiatric history. It was not a case of a terrorist act," the

interior ministry said in tweet.

It was not immediately clear if anyone was hurt by the speeding vehicle.

Spain's security threat level has been one step below maximum since July 2015 after a number of attacks in Europe.