7 discharged from hospital after gas explosion in Tianjin

TIANJIN, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Seven people with minor injuries have been discharged from hospital following a gas explosion in China's Tianjin Municipality, according to the investigation team on Wednesday.

Three individuals who sustained severe burns are in stable condition and another six with minor injuries will be discharged from hospital soon, the team said.

As of 8:10 a.m. on Wednesday, the gas supply in the affected area has returned to normal. At noon, the power supply returned to all surrounding shops, with the exception of shops at the explosion site. Traffic returned to normal at 12:30 p.m.

The explosion occurred at 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday near an intersection in Baodi District, injuring 23 people, including the three who sustained severe burns.

An initial investigation has shown that the accident was caused by a gas leak due to faulty operation by workers. Nine individuals responsible for the explosion are in police custody.