Gas explosion in China injures 20

Beijing: More than 20 workers were injured today in a gas explosion at a construction site in an underground shopping street in northeast China`s Liaoning province.

The explosion at about 9 am local time, was triggered by a gas leak from underground pipelines at a construction site in the underground shopping street in front of a shopping mall in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning, the city`s publicity department said in a statement. Some 40 workers were at the scene when the blast occurred, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Some of the seriously injured victims have been admitted to two hospitals for emergency treatment, injured workers and their relatives said. Staff of a shopping mall located just in front of the site said that they heard "three huge bangs", and felt the "ground shaking". Many workers came out with blood stains on their clothes, they said. The shock wave of the blast shattered windows of cars and buildings nearby. The explosion could be felt from over a kilometre away, local residents said. PTI