At least 2 dead and dozens injured in a suspected gas explosion outside Beijing

By HUIZHONG WU
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — An explosion caused by a suspected gas leak has ripped through a building in northern China, killing at least two people and injuring 26 others. Authorities said the blast occurred in a fried chicken shop early Wednesday morning in the city of Sanhe, about 39 miles east of Beijing. Fire engines were dispatched to the scene and a truck could be seen hauling away a burnt-out car with its windows gone. Parts of the building’s frame stood at a tilt above piles of rubble. Police cordoned off streets leading toward the explosion site over half a mile out, directing people away. State broadcaster CCTV said 14 people were hospitalized, including two in serious condition.