Most victims of restaurant blast were students

Among the 17 dead in an explosion and fire at a restaurant in East China's Anhui province at around noon on Saturday, 14 were students ages 15 to 20, local authorities said.

The Jinghu district fire department in Wuhu said that nine females and eight males died, mostly students from a nearby school. Three other men, including a father and his son, were also killed.

An initial investigation indicated a gas cylinder exploded and started a fire at the restaurant at 11:57 am.