On Wednesday, a gas explosion at a Barbecue Restaurant in China’s northwest Ningxia region killed 31 people.
The restaurant’s leaking liquid petroleum gas tank was the reason behind the explosion in Yinchuan, the capital of Mingxia, according to the state media report on Thursday.
According to the Xinhua news agency, seven people still received treatment for burn injuries and glass-related cuts.
It occurred when a larger crowd than usual gathered on the night of the three-day Dragon Boat Festival, a national holiday celebrated by eating rice dumplings and racing boats staffed by teams of paddlers.
As firefighters battled to extinguish the fire, Reuters captured video showing smoke and flames billowing from the eatery.
CCTV footage from the official broadcaster showed scores of firefighters battling the blaze as smoke poured out of the restaurant’s front. Glass fragments were seen all over the road in other videos.
State broadcaster CCTV stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping urged officials to take extraordinary measures to care for the injured and called for tighter safety regulation in essential industries and sectors.
Despite years of efforts to increase safety, gas and chemical explosion accidents are widespread in China.
