Gas explosion in a restaurant kills 31, injures 7 in Chinese’s city of Yinchuan
At least 31 people are dead and seven injured in the Chinese city of Yinchuan, in northwest Ningxia region, after a gas explosion at a barbecue restaurant occurred on Wednesday night.
The blast tore through the restaurant at around 8:40 p.m. Wednesday on a busy street in Yinchuan, the capital of the traditionally Muslim Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, as people gathered ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival
Among the seven injured, one person is still in critical condition. The other six are being treated in the hospital for minor injuries, burns and glass cuts.
Local fire authorities sent 20 vehicles and more than 100 personnel to the scene, with search and rescue operations lasting until 4 a.m. on Thursday
An hour before the explosion, employees noticed the smell of cooking gas and discovered that a gas tank valve was broken, the blast occurred while an employee was replacing the valve.
Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded urgent medical care for the injured and a safety overhaul after the explosion.
He urged efforts to quickly determine the cause of the accident and hold people accountable under the law.
Xi also said all regions and related departments should address “all types of risks and hidden dangers” and launch campaigns to promote workplace safety.
However, nine people have been detained by authorities, including the owner of the restaurant, shareholders and employees. Their assets have also been frozen.
The central government’s Ministry of Emergency Management said on social media that search and rescue work at the restaurant was completed early Thursday morning and investigators were working to determine the cause of the blast.
