A car exploded into flames after crashing in Glasgow city centre in the early hours.
Emergency services raced to the high speed crash in Gallowgate, near to St Mungo's Academy, after the vehicle caught fire.
Panicked neighbours thought the noise was a gas explosion.
One worried resident said: "The noise was just awful, genuinely sounded like an explosion."
And another added: "I thought it was a house/gas explosion. Car on flames outside the Mungo shortly after."
Cops are currently hunting for the driver after all occupants of the vehicle fled the scene.
The road was closed for several hours while officers tried to locate the driver and cut down the vehicle to ensure no one was trapped inside.
It is understood sniffer dogs were also brought in to search the area.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Officers were called to a report of a one-vehicle crash in Gallowgate, Glasgow at around 12.10am on Thursday, 16 June, 2022.
"Emergency services attended and the road was closed while investigations were carried out.
"Enquiries are ongoing to trace driver and the road has since re-opened.
"Officers are reviewing CCTV footage and are requesting any further witnesses, or anyone with dashcam footage, to contact police on 101, quoting incident number 0023 from Thursday, 16 June, 2022."
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed they sent two appliances to the scene.
A spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 0.08am on Thursday 16 June to reports of a single vehicle road traffic collision involving a car driven at high speed on the Gallowgate, Glasgow.
“Operations control immediately mobilised two appliances and firefighters extinguished the fire which had taken hold of the vehicle.
"The occupants of the car absconded before the arrival of the Fire Service and there were no reports of any casualties.
“Crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe.”
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