"As a result of leveling work of a farmer in Jodaim area in Zawiya, the 16-inch pipeline between oil storage depots of Zawiya and Tripoli has been damaged, causing the explosion and fire in the place," Brega, Libya's state-run oil company said.

As a precautionary measure, the company closed the pipeline, unloaded it and surrounded the site with a sand barrier in order to prevent the fire from spreading.

The fire was later controlled by firefighters, safety personnel of Brega and the safety and security authority of Zawiya, in cooperation with the oil company Akakus and some residents, Brega said.

The exploded pipeline transports more than two-thirds of Tripoli's fuel supply. The precautionary closure caused panic in the city, as many vehicles lined up in front of fuel stations.

Local media reported images of a dense smoke cloud in western Tripoli as a result of the explosion.