A tragic incident occurred in Yinchuan city, northwest China, where an explosion at a barbecue restaurant has resulted in the loss of at least 31 lives.
Authorities suspect a gas leak as the cause of the explosion, which took place on Wednesday night local time.
President Xi Jinping has emphasized the need for extensive rescue efforts and a thorough investigation into the blast.
Among the nine individuals detained in connection with the incident, the owner of the Fuyang Barbecue Restaurant is included, according to state media reports.
The explosion took place on the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, a time when families and friends traditionally gather for celebratory meals in China. Tragically, the victims of this incident include several high school students and retirees, as reported by local media.
The death toll is expected to rise as rescue operations continue, with seven individuals currently reported as injured. One of the injured individuals is in critical condition, as stated by the Xinhua news agency.
President Xi Jinping has stressed the importance of providing optimal medical care to the wounded and implementing enhanced safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
“We must do our best to rescue the injured and reassure the families of the casualties, identify the cause of the accident as soon as possible, and seriously pursue responsibility according to the law,” Mr Xi said.
The restaurant is part of a cluster of eateries and entertainment venues in downtown Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia autonomous region.
State broadcaster CCTV aired footage of more than a dozen firefighters fighting the blaze as smoke poured out of a gaping hole in the restaurant’s facade. Shards of glass and other debris littered the street.
Fire and rescue services dispatched more than 100 personnel and 20 vehicles to the scene, the Ministry of Emergency Management said. The rescue operation lasted until 04:00 local time Thursday.
According to a preliminary investigation by the fire department, a restaurant employee had smelled a gas leak about an hour before the explosion.
He then discovered a broken valve on a liquefied gas tank, and was in the process of replacing it when the blast occurred, local media reported.
Barbeque restaurants are emblematic of China’s street vendor economy and a favourite of locals in the country’s north-west regions.