Fierce explosion in China’s restaurant, 31 people died, a sizeable Muslim population lives in the area

At least 31 people have been killed and seven others injured in a massive cooking gas explosion at a ‘barbecue’ restaurant in northwestern China. A gas explosion killed 31 people in China’s northwestern Ningxia region on Wednesday night, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The incident was recorded from a barbecue restaurant in Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, during the evening of Wednesday, just before the Dragon Boat Festival holiday. The blast took place at around 8:40 pm on a busy road as people gathered in preparation for the festivities. The region has a sizeable Muslim population.

The main cause of the explosion prima facie appears to be a leak from a liquefied petroleum gas tank at the restaurant, Xinhua reported. Xinhua also reported that seven people are currently receiving medical treatment for burns and injuries, mainly caused by broken glass. Chinese President Xi Jinping urged authorities to prioritize the treatment of the injured and stressed the need to step up safety supervision in key industries and regions.

Despite ongoing efforts to improve safety, incidents involving gas and chemical explosions are unfortunately common in China. In 2015, a tragic series of explosions claimed 173 lives in the northern port city of Tianjin.