NW China explosion kills at least 9

XI'AN - At least nine people were killed and 34 others injured after an explosion Monday morning ripped through a restaurant in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province.

The 7:30 am blast blew out from the first floor of the Jiatian International Mansion, a commercial building in the Gaoxin district.

A fireman at the scene said the explosion shattered windows in nearby buildings, destroyed a bus stop and obliterated dozens of cars parked in the neighborhood.

An initial investigation blamed a liquefied petroleum gas leak, according to the Xi'an municipal government.

Rescuers retrieved a woman's body from the debris Monday afternoon, while the city's hospitals reported eight other victims had died.

Meanwhile, of the 34 injured in the explosion, seven were in critical condition, the municipal health bureau said.