A suspected gas explosion in the eastern part of the Chinese capital Beijing has claimed the lives of at least two people and injured more than 25, local authorities have said.
The accident occurred during the morning rush hour at a restaurant in the town of Yanjiao, which belongs to the city of Sanhe, the local government announced on Wednesday morning.
The fire brigade said it sent more than 150 rescue workers to the scene of the accident, where several shops were located. Photos showed the affected building collapsed.
Videos circulated on social media showed an explosion in a building, with the force of the detonation and flying debris causing severe damage to neighboring buildings and cars, but Fire-fighters extinguished the flames in the building.
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The city government of Sanhe, said a gas leak could have caused the explosion.
In China, there were frequent and sometimes fatal explosions, which were often caused by breaches of safety regulations.
Last month, at least 15 people were killed and 44 injured in a fire at a residential building in the eastern city of Nanjing.
In January, dozens died after a fire broke out at a shop in the central city of Xinyu, with state news agency Xinhua reporting the blaze had been caused by the “illegal” use of fire by workers in the store’s basement.
That fire took place just days after a blaze at a school in central Henan province killed 13 schoolchildren as they slept in a dormitory.
Domestic media reports suggested the fire was caused by an electric heating device.
Credible News.ng
