North China restaurant explosion kills 14

Beijing: An explosion at a restaurant in northern China has killed 14 people and injured 47. The government of Shouyang county in Shanxi province says on its official website that a gas leak caused the blast and triggered a fire Friday evening at the Xinyangyang hotpot restaurant. [caption id=“attachment_534027” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representative image. Reuters[/caption] The official Xinhua News Agency says six people were killed at the scene and eight others died at a hospital. Seventeen people were severely injured. Xinhua says the explosion was so powerful that it shattered the windows of the two-story building that houses the restaurant and shops. Hotpot dining is popular among Chinese, with diners gathering around a steaming pot in which they cook meats and vegetables. Restaurant explosions are common in China, though a death toll this high is rare. AP