31 killed in massive explosion at Chinese restaurant, owner detained

31 people were killed and seven others injured in a massive cooking gas explosion at a restaurant in northwestern China on the eve of the ‘Drago Boat Festival’. China’s official media reported about this on Thursday. A leak in the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution system at a barbecue restaurant located on a busy road in Xinjiang district of Yinchuan province caused the LPG leak at around 8.40 pm on Wednesday, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. There was an explosion. According to the agency, nine people, including the restaurant owner, have been detained in connection with the blast. The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Committee of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) said a total of 38 casualties were reported in the blast, of whom 31 were declared dead and seven were being treated.

The condition of one injured is said to be serious. The blast occurred on the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival. In view of the two-day holiday, a large number of customers thronged the restaurant and its nearby shops and hotels. The blast also caused heavy damage to the surrounding buildings. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday instructed to provide proper treatment and all possible assistance to those injured in the explosion at Yinchuan’s ‘barbecue’ restaurant. Police detained nine people, including the owner, shareholders and employees of the restaurant, in connection with the explosion, Xinhua reported. According to the agency, the regional administration has attached the properties of these people. Yinchuan’s local administration said on its social media account that the explosion occurred when the chef was replacing a valve on a gas tank after receiving complaints of a gas leak. According to Xinhua, 64 families living in the vicinity of the restaurant have been shifted to safer places.

According to reports published in local media, the ‘barbecue’ restaurant was part of a popular restaurant chain and was being operated over two floors. There was a seating arrangement for 20 customers on its ground floor. There were ‘karaoke rooms’ on its second floor. A joint working team including members from China’s Ministry of Emergency Management, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the State Administration for Market Regulation has been sent to the scene to guide the rescue work. Four medical experts along with a joint task force rushed to the scene to provide emergency medical assistance. Local rescue teams sent 102 people and 20 vehicles to the scene and the rescue operation ended early Thursday, Xinhua reported. The Ningjia Hui Autonomous Region is mainly inhabited by the Hui Muslim community of China. There are an estimated 20 million Muslims in China, most of whom belong to the Uyghur community. The Uyghurs are an ethnic group of Turkic origin and the Hui Muslims are of Chinese ethnic origin.

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