A powerful explosion at a restaurant in northern China today, which authorities say was caused by a gas leak, killed at least two people, injured 26 others and caused extensive damage, Chinese state media reported.
The explosion, which occurred at 07:55 (local time; 01:55 GMT), almost completely destroyed the building housing the restaurant and damaged parked cars in the village of Shanghai, a suburb of Beijing. According to state broadcaster CCTV, authorities believe the explosion was caused by a gas leak in the kitchen of the restaurant, which mainly served fried chicken.
Dashcam video shows the explosion in Yanjiao, China. So far at least 1 dead, 22 injured.
Rescue work is ongoing.#Breaking #china #explosion #blast pic.twitter.com/POdjNtTjEP— Chaudhary Parvez (@ChaudharyParvez) March 13, 2024
The death toll has risen to two people, 26 injured, the TV channel adds. Initially, one death and 22 injuries were reported. Videos uploaded to social media showed a powerful explosion that sent thick smoke and visible flames down the busy street during rush hour. Other footage shows the building almost completely destroyed and cars damaged. The AFP team arriving at the scene found police blocking traffic.
The shock wave shattered storefronts across the street, according to video taken by a resident whose home is 200 meters from the crash site. Fire officials said 36 vehicles and 154 emergency personnel were rushed to the scene. The resulting fire is “brought under control,” the same source added.
Fires and fatal accidents often occur in China due to negligence in compliance with safety regulations. So much so that Chinese President Xi Jinping issued “important guidelines” earlier this year to reduce “the number of accidents.”
In February, a fire in a residential building killed 15 people in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing. In January, at least 39 people died in a fire at a shopping center in Xinyu, central China. Just 5 days earlier, a fire in a school dormitory claimed the lives of 13 children. In June, a restaurant explosion killed 31 people, prompting authorities to launch a national awareness campaign aimed at improving workplace safety.
More Stories
Members of the European Parliament ask to deprive Georgia of its EU candidate status
Russia: a man fell from the twentieth floor while escaping a fire (video)
It became known which countries' representatives will attend Putin's inauguration