Leaky Gas Cylinder Kills 17 In Restaurant Explosion

A restaurant explosion in Wuhu, in China's Anhui province, killed at least 17 people Saturday, and authorities say they've traced the accident back to a leaky gas cylinder.

According to The Guardian, the explosion happened just before noon on Saturday. The unnamed restaurant was one of many small eateries that filled in a 164-foot alley. An employee at a nearby noodle restaurant said that when they heard the explosion, workers from the nearby restaurants grabbed fire extinguishers and ran to try to help fight the fire, but the damage was already extensive.

"When the fire broke out, people from nearby restaurants rushed to the scene and used fire extinguishers to try and put it out," he said. "But there was a lot of smoke and it was quite fierce and already blocked the door."

Police say the explosion was caused by a gas cylinder in the restaurant that started leaking. Once the gas came in contact with fire from the restaurant's stove, there was an enormous explosion.