Blast in eastern China kills 2, dozens injured

SHANGHAI, China – A liquefied petroleum gas canister explosion tore through 3 restaurants in the eastern China city of Hangzhou on Friday, July 21, killing two people and injuring 55, state media reported.

The explosion occurred Friday morning and images posted on Chinese media shortly afterward showed bloodied victims nursing their injuries as a fire raged through the two-story structure housing one of the restaurants.

A shop owner has been taken into custody, Xinhua state news agency reported.

Forty-five people were receiving hospital treatment, including 7 for severe injuries.

The number of injured was heightened because the blast shattered the windows of nearby vehicles, including a bus, the government of Hangzhou’s Xihu district said in a statement.

Reports said the fire – which burned an area totalling 200 square meters – was eventually contained after 12 fire trucks converged on the scene.

Hangzhou attracts millions of tourists each year, drawn by the scenic beauty of its temples and lakefront location.

Such explosions and similar accidents are common in China, where safety standards are lax. – Rappler.com