Second Tripoli fuel depot ablaze in 'very dangerous' turn

A picture taken on July 28, 2014 shows smoke billowing from an oil depot where a huge blaze started following clashes around Tripoli airport, in the south of the city. By Mahmud Turkia (AFP)

Tripoli (AFP) - Libya said a second fuel depot caught fire Monday in Tripoli, in a "very dangerous" development following a huge oil tank blaze triggered by clashes around the capital's airport.

"The situation is very dangerous after a second fire broke out at another petroleum depot," the government said, warning of a "disaster with unforeseeable consequences".

The blaze erupted on Sunday night when a rocket struck a tank containing more than six million litres (1.6 million gallons) of fuel.

The depots are located on the road to Tripoli's international airport, which rival militias have been fiercely fighting for since July 13.

They contain more than 90 million litres of fuel, according to the National Oil Company.

Firefighters have been battling to extinguish the blaze with limited resources since Sunday night, but ongoing clashes have repeatedly forced them to flee the area.

In its statement, the government issued yet another appeal to the combatants to "cease fire immediately".

But rockets were still being fired into the area at around midday on Monday, an AFP photographer at the site reported.