NEW DELHI: An
explosion
shook a five-story
apartment building
situated in the heart of
Harbin
, the capital city of
Heilongjiang province
in China on Thursday morning. According to reports from Chinese state media, there have been no immediate casualties.
Eyewitnesses recounted the incident to
Xinhua news
, saying that the explosion occurred shortly after 7 am local time (2300 GMT), at a building nestled at the junction of Xiangshun and Gongbin streets in downtown Harbin.
The blast originated from an apartment located on the fourth floor of the building.
Residents in the vicinity were startled by a powerful blast, suspected to be caused by a
gas explosion
, as per the initial report. The force of the explosion reverberated through the building, shaking not only the targeted apartment's balcony but also neighboring balconies in adjacent buildings.
In response to the emergency, individuals were observed evacuating the premises swiftly. Emergency response teams including ambulance services, public security personnel, and firefighters promptly mobilized to the scene for rescue efforts, as reported by Xinhua.
Gas-related incidents have unfortunately become a recurring concern in China. Earlier in March, a suspected gas leak led to a devastating explosion at a restaurant in the northern province of Hebei. The incident claimed the lives of two individuals and left 26 others injured, causing extensive damage to surrounding structures and vehicles.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the explosion.
(With inputs from agencies)
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