A large explosion has occurred in a neighborhood in the Chinese port city of Ningbo, killing at least 2 people and damaging multiple buildings in the surrounding area, local officials say. Only few details were immediately available.
The incident happened at about 8:50 a.m. local time on Sunday when a large explosion ripped through an area of the city’s Jiangbei District. It was initially said to have occurred at a factory, but Chinese media reported that it happened at a building that was marked for demolition.
A local official described the situation as serious and said a large number of ambulances were sent to the scene. The exact number of casualties was not yet known, but the city government said at least 2 people were killed. The People’s Daily newspaper said more than 30 others were injured.
Photos from the scene showed victims on the ground along with damaged buildings and vehicles.
Ningbo, which was previously known as Ningpo, is located in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. It is about 152 kilometers (95 miles) south of Shanghai, or 1,210 kilometers (750 miles) southeast of the capital Beijing.
The blast occurred in an area of the city that is home to a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial properties. Sunday’s explosion caused shaking to be felt across parts of the city and windows were blown out up to a kilometer (1,100 yards) away.
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