AT least 16 people were killed and 50 to 60 were wounded on Wednesday in mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, CNN reported, citing multiple law enforcement sources.

Maine State Police and a county sheriff previously reported there had been an active shooter on Wednesday night but did not provide details.

The Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office posted two photographs of the suspect on Facebook, saying he was at large.

The county sheriff asked for the public's help in identifying the pictured suspect, a bearded man in a long-sleeved shirt and jeans holding a rifle in the firing position.

The Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston issued a statement saying it was "reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event" and coordinating with area hospitals to take patients.

Lewiston is part of Androscoggin County and about 35 miles (56 km) north of Maine's largest city, Portland. 

At least 34 people, including two babies were killed when a contraband fuel depot exploded into flames in southern Benin near the border with Nigeria on Saturday.

According to Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou, “a serious fire occurred in the town of Seme Podji. Another 20 people were seriously wounded in the incident.”

"I can't really give you the cause of the fire, but there is a large gasoline warehouse here and cars, tricycles and motorcycles come from morning to evening,” he added.

Nigeria is a main oil and gas producer where fuel smuggling is very common along its borders, particularly when the government maintains a subsidy to keep fuel prices low.

The majority of the victims were burnt and they could not be not be identified.

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