China restaurant blast kills 2, injures 26

A deadly suspected gas explosion ripped through a residential neighborhood in northern China, killing at least two people, injuring 26 others, CNN reports.

The powerful blast occurred just before 8 a.m. at a ground-floor restaurant in a residential area of Sanhe city, Hebei province, east of the capital Beijing.

At least three buildings were severely damaged, with one left in a skeletal state. By Wednesday afternoon, the fire had been put out and residents living within 500 meters of the site had been evacuated.

China has seen a series of deadly incidents caused by gas leaks in recent years.

In June, 2023, a gas explosion at a barbecue restaurant in northwest Ningxia region killed 31 people. Following that blast, Chinese market regulators issued detailed guidelines on the use of gas appliances and cookers to avoid safety risks.