Fourteen injured, 200 evacuated in Sydney gas leak blast

SYDNEY - Fourteen people including two children were injured when a gas explosion blew out a shutter door from the loading dock of a food court in Sydney's Chinatown at about 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday.

The blast, caused by a leak from a gas main, occurred at Dixon House on the corner of Little Hay Street and Sussex Street, Fire and Rescue New South Wales Superintendent Paul Johnstone told Xinhua.

Ambulance at the scene treated the injured for lacerations and seven of them were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Johnstone said.

The fire was contained by sprinklers and 200 people were evacuated from the area, he said. Eight fire trucks and 40 firefighters were also on site to assist those affected. There was no damage to surrounding buildings and a Hazmat crew was deployed to ensure there was no further leak nearby.

NSW police told Xinhua that its officers also remained on scene to assist with perimeter management and traffic control.

A witness at the scene told Xinhua that the explosion might have been caused by pressure on worn out gas pipes but no flames were detected and no one seemed to have suffered any serious injuries.

Investigations into the ignition source of the blast are ongoing, Johnstone said.