One person died in a motorway accident near the Italian city of Bologna when a tanker truck exploded, authorities said, revising the death toll down from two as originally reported.

Video of Monday's incident showed the tanker, which contained inflammable materials, slamming into the back of another lorry which had come to a halt because of heavy traffic near Bologna airport.

The tanker exploded in flames, sending a huge ball of fire and black smoke into the sky.

Read: Maltese family escapes Bologna motorway inferno