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A 'violent explosion' has rocked a natural gas depot in Austria with reports of one person dead and 18 people injured.

Rescue helicopters are circling the area and 10 fire engines and four ambulances are at the scene of the OMV gas station in Baumgarten, Heute reports.

One person has died after the explosion and Red Cross officials said a further 18 people were injured, the Austria Press Agency reports.

Witnesses said it 'felt like an earthquake' and saw meter high flames, local reports say.

One said "it sounded like an airplane had dropped off," adding that "the ground vibrated for ten minutes, all the inhabitants ran out of their houses."

Cars in a car park were 'melting' and 'burning down' because of the immense heat, according to reports.

(Image: AFP)

(Image: AFP)

Police officials tweeted: "Explosion of a gas station in Baumgarten.

"Avoid the area and follow instructions of the forces."

A massive rescue operation is underway with a 'dog squad' searching in the rubble for more injured people, according to reports.

The plant has reportedly been shut down and is currently out of service. Police said the cause of the explosion was technical.

(Image: Facebook/Rotes Kreuz GÃ¤nserndorf) (Image: WolfgangWeinkum/Twitter)

A fire brigade spokesperson reportedly said it happened in a gas pipeline that runs in the ground.

He reportedly said it created a fire and "thick black clouds of smoke".

The station was evacuated in the incident this morning and police have blocked off the area, according to reports.

(Image: AFP) (Image: WolfgangWeinkum/Twitter) (Image: Sonnenstrom1/Twitter) (Image: Marcus Pos /Youtube)

A spokesman for OMV told noe.orf : "We now have to find out which parts of the plant are affected.

"The state criminal investigation office has taken up the investigations."

A Gas Connect Austria spokesperson reportedly said the situation is under control but 'extinguishing work' is still in progress, diepresse reports.

Once the fire has been extinguished, teams can go into the facility and see which systems are affected.

(Image: Facebook/Rotes Kreuz GÃ¤nserndorf)

(Image: AFP)

What does this mean for gas prices?

The station is Austria's largest import and takeover point for natural gas, and is also thought to be the main distribution hub for natural gas imports from many countries including Russia and Norway.

Each year about 40 billion m³ of natural gas is redistributed via the Baumgarten station to Austria and to Western, Southern and Southeastern Europe.

Natural gas is needed in Austria for the manufacturing sector, power plants, heating plants, district heating plants, households and transport.

A city insider said gas prices are expected to increase in the immediate aftermath of the explosion but that prices should go back to normal soon.

(Image: Facebook/Rotes Kreuz GÃ¤nserndorf)

Baumgarten is an important hub for European gas transit, with natural gas transported to Baumgarten via Slovakia and Germany along several cross-border pipelines.

Gas flows are then delivered throughout Europe via Austria's transmission network.

Slovakia's main gas transit route to Austria was suspended after the fire at Baumgarten, Slovak pipeline operator Eustream said.

Gas Connect Austria said its deliveries to Austria's southern and southeastern borders were affected by the blast until further notice.

Meanwhile, Italy declared a state of emergency regarding energy supplies at the Austrian hub as its industry minister said the country had a "serious" energy supply problem.

Russia's Gazprom Export said it was working on redirecting gas flows and trying to secure uninterrupted supplies to clients.

Gas prices in Europe soared on concerns about supply.

The Italian wholesale day-ahead price surged 87 percent to €44.50 per megawatt-hour (MWh).

UK gas for immediate delivery soared 32 percent to 90 pence per therm, a level not seen since 2013.