At least 2 dead and dozens injured in a suspected gas explosion outside Beijing (video)
An explosion, suspected to have been triggered by a gas leak, devastated a building in northern China on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of at least two individuals and injuring 26 others, as per authorities.
The incident occurred early morning at a fried chicken shop in the city of Sanhe, located approximately 63 kilometers (39 miles) east of Beijing, officials stated in a brief announcement.
Streets within a 1-kilometer radius (over half a mile) of the explosion site were cordoned off by police, as witnessed by reporters from the Associated Press, who observed authorities redirecting people away from the area.
Firefighters swiftly responded to the scene, with fire engines dispatched, while a burnt-out car, its windows shattered, was seen being towed away from the vicinity.
The aftermath revealed significant destruction, leaving only a portion of the building's framework standing amidst heaps of debris.
State broadcaster CCTV reported that 14 individuals were hospitalized, including two in critical condition.
According to accounts from relatives provided to local news outlet Hongxing News, one of the deceased victims owned a guesthouse within the building, while her husband remained unaccounted for.
The couple had reportedly sent their 9-year-old child to school prior to the explosion.
Approximately 150 firefighters were engaged in efforts to contain the blaze, as captured in online videos depicting smoke billowing from the commercial building situated at an intersection.
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