Chinese restaurant explosion kills 31

Firefighters work at the site of an explosion in northwest China's Yinchuan City Photo: Xinhua

Dozens of people died in a fiery explosion caused by a leak gas cylinder at a barbecue restaurant in northwest China.

The explosion in Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia region, occurred around 8:40 pm on Wednesday, when crowds gathered for dinner on the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival, a public holiday.< /p>

Authorities believe a leak from an LPG tank is to blame, Xinhua reports.

By Thursday morning, 31 people had been confirmed dead, seven more were still being treated for burns and cuts by broken glass.

This incident prompted President Xi Jinping to tighten security regulations.

The explosion was caused by a leak from an LPG tank in a restaurant. Photo: Wang Peng/Xinhua via AP

Mr. Xi told authorities to strengthen security oversight in key industries and sectors, Chinese state television reported.

Accidents due to gas and chemical explosions not uncommon in China despite years of efforts to improve security.

In 2015, a series of explosions in the northern port city of Tianjin killed 173 people.