Shop blast leaves 2 dead, 55 injured in East China

HANGZHOU -- Two people have been confirmed dead and 55 others were injured after a blast occurred in a shop near West Lake in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, on Friday morning, according to sources with local authorities.

The shop owner has been taken into police custody.

Among the injured, 12 people sustained severe injuries.

The blast happened at around 8:40 a.m. Billowing flames and strong heat shattered the glass of passing vehicles, including a bus, causing most of the injuries.

The fire has been put out, and all the injured have been sent for treatment in hospitals, according to the city's fire department. The provincial blood center has called on residents to donate blood.

Che Jun, the provincial Communist Party chief, demanded all-out efforts to treat the injured. He said a thorough investigation should be conducted into the cause of the blast, and that extensive checking is needed to rule out potential hazards that undermine public safety.

The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

The shop is located in the West Lake District, a well-known scenic area. The lake was used as the backdrop of a performance directed by Zhang Yimou as part of the G20 summit last year.