Dramatic footage has emerged of a Russian driver's car erupting in flames after he tried to secretly fill hidden petrol cans inside the vehicle at a filling station.
The clip, filmed on CCTV in Penza, shows the man leaning into the back of a dark estate car and shoving a petrol pump nozzle through the open door. Moments later, a burst of fire rips through the cabin.
Flames shoot from the rear seats as thick black smoke billows across the forecourt. The driver can be seen darting around in panic before staff and bystanders rush in with fire extinguishers, dousing the blaze in clouds of white powder.
The incident happened on 29 August amid Russia's worsening petrol shortage, which has been blamed on Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries. Long queues have become a daily sight, and authorities have restricted how much fuel ordinary drivers can buy and banned filling extra containers at many stations.
Desperate motorists have reportedly resorted to hiding jerry cans inside cars to get around the limits. In this case, the risky shortcut almost ended in disaster.
Experts say filling petrol inside a closed vehicle is extremely dangerous. Vapours can ignite from a spark or static electricity, turning the cabin into a fireball.
The driver managed to put the fire out himself with an extinguisher and then drove away. No injuries have been reported.
The footage has circulated widely on social media, with many viewers calling it a stark warning about the lengths some Russians are going to as fuel supplies run short.
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