31 dead after barbecue restaurant explosion in northwest China

The death toll from an explosion which ripped through a barbecue restaurant in Yinchuan, capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on Wednesday night, has risen to 31, local authorities said Thursday.

The blast happened around 8:40pm on a busy street in Xingqing District of Yinchuan, due to a leakage of liquefied petroleum gas from the operating area of a barbecue restaurant.

The explosion resulted in 38 casualties, with 31 people confirmed dead despite rescue efforts, while seven individuals, including one in critical condition, are currently receiving medical treatment, according to Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China.