China blast wounds two in third restaurant explosion in under a week

On June 21, a gas explosion at a barbecue eatery killed 31 in northwestern Ningxia region in one of the deadliest blasts in recent years, prompting President Xi Jinping to call on all regions to rectify safety risks.

The state council, or cabinet, and local governments quickly issued warnings and called for in-depth investigations into “hidden dangers” to stamp out fire hazards.

On Friday, an explosion due to a gas leak in the central city of Zhengzhou caused a house to collapse, burying four people, all of whom were later rescued.

Accidents due to gas blasts are not uncommon in China, despite years of efforts to improve safety.