Photo: Reuters-
Metropolis Desk-
Nine persons have been detained in connection with an explosion that occurred at a BBQ restaurant in northwest China and resulted in at least 31 fatalities.
The explosion that occurred on Wednesday evening local time in Yinchuan City is thought to have been triggered by a gas leak.
“All-out efforts” have been requested by President Xi Jinping for the rescue attempt and the blast probe.
According to state media, the proprietor of the Fuyang Barbecue Restaurant was detained.
The explosion happened the night before China’s three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday when lots of families and friends get together for celebration feasts.
Local media indicated that several high school students and retirees were among the fatalities.
According to the Xinhua news agency, the number of fatalities is anticipated to climb and at least seven people have been hurt, one of whom is in serious condition.
The injured must receive the best care possible, and safety procedures must be strengthened, according to President Xi Jinping.
“We must do everything in our power to rescue the hurt and comfort the families of the deceased, identify the accident’s cause as soon as possible, and pursue responsibility seriously by the law,” Mr. Xi added.
The eatery is a component of a collection of restaurants and entertainment spots in the heart of Yinchuan, the Ningxia autonomous region’s capital.
Video of more than a dozen firefighters battling the blaze as smoke billowed out of a big hole in the restaurant’s exterior was carried on state television network CCTV. The street was covered in broken glass and other trash.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, more than 100 employees and 20 vehicles were sent by fire and rescue services to the area. The rescue effort continued Thursday morning local time until 4:00.
An hour or so before the explosion, a restaurant employee sensed a gas leak, according to the fire department’s preliminary investigation.
He then found a damaged valve on a tank holding liquefied gas and was in the middle of changing it when the explosion happened, according to local media.
In China’s north-western provinces, barbecue restaurants are a local favorite and a symbol of the country’s street vendor economy.
Source – BBC
