Police said that the thief's body was so badly burnt they were not sure if they would be able to identify it. Nine people were badly injured; three of which had ''severe burns'' and were in a serious condition.
The explosion was so loud many thought nearby volcano Mount Vesuvius had erupted as windows were blown out in neighbouring houses and buildings.
Police said the thief's body was so badly burnt they were not sure if they would even be able to identify it, while three of those injured had "severe burns".
A shoe factory which overlooked the pipeline was the worst hit. The injured were ferried to the burns unit at the Caldarelli hospital in a fleet of ambulances.
Firecrews were still searching through the rubble of the factory for other bodies, while police had sealed off the area around the overground oil pipeline.
There was a clear attempt made by the thief to connect some form of tube to the pipeline and then onto a wrecked lorry.
The explosion happened on an industrial estate in San Giovanni, on the eastern edge of the southern Italian port city of Naples.
The area is home to the Camorra, the local version of the Mafia, and police are working on the theory they were behind the theft. The Camorra has stolen oil in the past and sold it on cheaply to businesses and individuals.
A police spokesman said: ''There was a clear attempt made by the thief to connect some form of tube to the pipeline and then onto a wrecked lorry which was at the scene.
''But he made a mistake and set off a huge explosion which demolished the shoe factory seriously injuring nine people and killing himself in the process.
''Theft from the oil pipeline was clearly the motive and there have been other cases in the past which have been the work of the Camorra - things could have been far worse here with a higher death toll.''
As with other countries across the world, petrol prices have risen sharply in Italy, and, in the past, the Camorra has stolen oil and sold it on at a knockdown prices to businesses and individuals.
Author: Jo Amey
