2 killed, 26 injured in explosion at eatery in China

Beijing, Mar 13 (PTI) A deadly suspected gas leak explosion ripped through an eatery in north China’s Hebei province on Wednesday, killing at least two people and injuring 26 others.

The blast rocked a fried chicken shop in Yanjiao township in the city of Sanhe, close to Beijing.

It is suspected to have been caused by a gas leak.

Two people were killed and 26 others were injured from the explosion, China Daily reported.

Rescue workers have rushed to the site immediately, state-run Xinhua news agency reported

The blast rocked the building at around 8 am (local time) on Wednesday in Yanjiao town in Sanhe, causing damage to the building and several vehicles.

Video footage of the explosion site showed red flames and plumes of smoke, with debris strewn across the nearby road.

Firefighters are currently on site, managing the situation, the report said.

The fire department had sent 36 vehicles and 154 personnel to the scene.

State broadcaster CCTV reported that the fire at the explosion site was under control and that rescue work was still underway.

Videos posted on Weibo social media showed huge clouds of grey smoke rising from the scene and engulfing the site, making it difficult to see surrounding buildings.

The explosion destroyed building facades and cars and left glass scattered across nearby streets. Some objects at the scene were on fire, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

Residents told the local media the gas service in the nearby area had been suspended and it was not clear when it would be restored.

Fire and gas explosions have been taking place almost every month, prompting Chinese President Xi Jinping to order the concerned agencies to take pre-emptive measures.

Fifteen people were killed and 44 others injured in a building fire in Nanning city in China last month.

Thirty-nine were killed and nine others injured in a building fire that broke out in Xinyu city in east China’s Jiangxi Province on January 24.

Fatal fires in China are not uncommon due to lax enforcement of building and safety standards.

On January 20, at least 13 students were killed when a fire broke out in a school dormitory in central China’s Henan province. All the victims were third-grade students.

In November last year, 26 people died after a large fire ripped through an office building in Luliang City in Shanxi province.

A hospital fire in Beijing last April claimed the lives of at least 29 people and triggered an investigation which saw 12 people detained by police for questioning.