Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency:  Newsflash

A trucker who drove away from a service station in his burning petrol tanker to avoid a massive explosion has been hailed a hero.

Driver Abdulla Al Majbari had been delivering fuel to the petrol station in Benghazi, Lybia, when his truck suddenly burst into flames.

But instead of running, Abdulla jumped back into his truck and drove it away from the petrol station, where thousands of litres of fuel were stored.

Astonished motorists watched as the burning tanker sped through the busy streets of the Al-Fuwaihat neighbourhood before Abdulla found a spot isolated enough to dump it.

One clip of video footage of the drama on 24th May shows the truck driving through the streets with huge flames shooting out of the back.

Abdulla told local media he feared the blaze could have been even worse if he hadn’t acted.

He suffered burns to his hands and watched his tanker burn until it was just a wreck.

Netizens on Libyan social networks praised Abdulla’s actions and President Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, 63, even hailed his heroics.

The Libyan president said: “We thank God very much for the safety of the residents of the area adjacent to the Malti gas station in Benghazi.

“I deeply appreciate the courage of the fuel truck driver, Abdulla Al Majbri, who considered the priority of protecting civilians more important than protecting himself.”

He added: “The Ministry of Local Government was assigned to inventory and evaluate the damages to compensate the owners.”