Nine killed in China building blast

The explosion was reported on Friday in a six-storey building housing 52 families in the outer district of Ganjingzi.

Nine people were confirmed dead in an apartment building explosion in China's coastal city Dalian, rescuers said on Saturday.

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While seven bodies were recovered on Friday, rescuers recovered two others from the ruins on Saturday. Another victim was seriously injured and is still in hospital.

The explosion was reported on Friday in a six-storey building housing 52 families in the outer district of Ganjingzi in the southern part of Dalian in Liaoning Province.

Investigators suspect liquefied gas leak to be the cause of the accident, Xinhua news agency reported.

The blast destroyed at least three apartments on the first, second and third floors.

Around 50 families were evacuated to a nearby hotel. Rescuers had to reinforce the ramshackle building before they could enter to search for the missing people.

The explosion also left cracks on the building's outer wall and destroyed some window panes of another apartment building and a school.