A BP petrol tanker with a trailer carrying 47 000 litres of fuel has caught fire in Dainfern early hours of Saturday morning, Johannesburg metro police said.

Spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said no injuries had been reported so far, but the truck was still burning along the R511, which leads to William Nicol Drive.

She said this has led to the closure of a part of William Nicol and Erling street.

Johannesburg emergency services spokesman Percy Morokane said the driver of the truck first heard a bang as he was driving uphill and noticed the vehicle slowing down before he saw the fire.

The tanker was transporting fuel from a BP depot in Pretoria when it caught fire.

Morokane said the fire on the tanker has since been contained and fire-fighters were still busy with the trailer.

He said environmental experts were also on scene to assess the extent of the impact on the surrounding area as some of the fuel had spilt into the nearby Jukskei River stream.

The R511 carriage way also sustained major damage.