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The
explosion at the two-storey establishment sparked discussion on
Chinese social media about the safety of barbecue restaurants,
which have gained new popularity this year with the lifting of
zero-COVID curbs and hype among online influencers.
Seven people were still undergoing treatment for burns and cuts
from broken glass after the blast, which was triggered by a
leaking liquefied petroleum gas tank at the restaurant, Xinhua
reported on Thursday.
The explosion prompted President Xi Jinping to order a safety
overhaul across China, calling on all regions to rectify safety
risks and "hidden dangers".
"All barbecue shops in the country should be shut down and
rectified," a Chinese social media user wrote on the popular
Twitter-like microblog Weibo.
"Profits should not be earned with the blood of the people."
The restaurant in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia and a tourist hub
in the region, is well-known locally with a loyal following,
according to media reports. The blast happened during peak
dining hours, with high school students and retirees said to be
among the dead.
The explosion happened on the eve of a holiday long weekend as
millions of tourists geared up to hit the road during the Dragon
Boat Festival that started on Thursday.
Accidents due to gas and chemical blasts are not uncommon in
China, despite years of efforts to improve safety.
In 2021, a gas explosion at a barbecue restaurant in the
northeastern city of Shenyang killed four and wounded 47, with
the powerful blast destroying the shop's facade and shattering
the windows of nearby buildings.
"I've a night market on my doorstep, and every time I smell
burning things, I'd look around quickly," said a social media
user named Liu Xiaoqiao, a store owner who recently installed a
gas leakage alarm.
"Besides the gas canisters in my store, gas tanks line the road
outside - scary. I hope everyone will stay vigilant."
(Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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