3 dead, 149 injured in N China restaurant fire, blast (5)

（Xinhua） 15:03, June 20, 2013

Medics treat a man injured in the restaurant blasts in Shuozhou City, north China's Shanxi Province, June 20, 2013. Blasts ripped through a restaurant in Shuozhou Wednesday night, killing two people and injuring over 150 others. The explosion of natural gas pipes was suspected to be the cause of the accident after an initial investigation. (Xinhua/Lu Xiaoyu)

TAIYUAN, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A fire and a subsequent blast ripping through a restaurant in north China's Shanxi Province Wednesday night has left at least three people dead and 149 others injured, including 19 who were critically injured, according to local authorities.

A fire erupted in a new restaurant in the economic development zone of Shuozhou City around 9:30 p.m., then a blast occurred while firefighters were working in the restaurant, an official with the rescue headquarters of Shuozhou said.

Three trucks from the local fire-fighting brigade were damaged, according to a Xinhua reporter at the scene.

The two-story building housing the restaurant showed signs of having caught fire, and glass from nearby buildings was scattered on the street.

As of 4 a.m. Thursday, rescue work had concluded.

Further investigation is under way.

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