Probe begins after 7 killed, 27 injured in fried chicken shop explosion in China

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A general view near a damaged building following an explosion at a restaurant in Sanhe, Hebei province, China March 13, 2024. China Daily via REUTERS

The explosion on March 13 at a fried chicken shop caused a massive orange fireball.

PHOTO: REUTERS

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BEIJING - Local government officials in China's Sanhe county, near Beijing, said on March 14 they had started an investigation into the cause of a massive explosion at a shop selling fried chicken that left 7 dead and 27 injured.

Officials said that 14 people had been discharged from hospital, and that the

initial indications were that a gas leak had caused the blast

.

In 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered a safety overhaul across China.

He had called on all regions to rectify safety risks and "hidden dangers" after

31 people died in a gas explosion at a barbecue restaurant

.

The explosion on March 13 at a fried chicken shop, in the town of Yanjiao in China's northern province of Hebei, caused a massive orange fireball.

The force ripped off the fronts of several buildings, crumpled cars on surrounding streets and left large pieces of debris on fire.

On-site rescue work has ended, cleanup at the scene is still ongoing and an investigation has begun, officials said in a statement. REUTERS

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