China: 31 people killed in cooking gas explosion at barbecue restaurant
Thirty-one people were killed in a cooking gas explosion at a barbecue restaurant in northwestern China.
The blast tore through the restaurant at around 8.40pm on Wednesday on a busy street in Yinchuan, the capital of the traditionally Muslim Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
Seven people were injured and reportedly taken to hospital.
The blast knocked many others unconscious, who had to be carried out the Fuyang Barbecue branch, according search and rescue teams quoted in online news site The Paper.
A woman named Chen was about 50 metres away when she heard the explosion.
She said she saw two waiters emerge from the restaurant, one collapsed immediately, while thick smoke billowed out and a strong smell of cooking gas permeated the area, she told The Paper.
The central government’s Ministry of Emergency Management said search and rescue work finished early on Thursday morning and it was now investigating the cause of the blast.
An hour before the explosion, employees reportedly noticed the smell of cooking gas and discovered a gas tank valve was broken, according to Chinese news agency Xinhua.
The blast went off while an employee was replacing the valve.
Many people were gathered in Yinchuan as it was the eve of a long holiday weekend, ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival.
Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded urgent medical care for those hurt in the explosion.
He urged authorities to quickly find the cause of the accident and hold people accountable under the law.
Following the incident, Xi has launched a campaign to promote safety in the workplace.
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