Authorities reported that rescuers were dispatched to a suspected gas leak explosion on Wednesday in a building in northern China, resulting in one fatality and 22 injuries.
The explosion occurred early in the morning at a fried chicken shop in the city of Sanhe, according to authorities in a brief statement. Sanhe is located just an hour’s drive west of Beijing.
Police were observed cordoning off streets up to 1 kilometer (over half a mile) away from the explosion, as witnessed by Associated Press reporters, and were diverting people away from the area.
As of 11 a.m., fire engines were still arriving at the scene, and a truck was spotted removing a burnt-out car with its windows shattered. Remnants of the building’s frame were visibly askew above heaps of debris.
National broadcaster CCTV reported that over 150 firefighters were dispatched to contain the flames.