Gas Leakage Tears Down Building, Leaving 21 Hurt

A two-story commercial building collapsed as a suspected liquid petroleum gas exploded Monday night, Yonhap News reported.

The blast left 21 people injured and five of them are in serious condition.

The explosion occurred at a basement coffee shop of the building in Taepyong-ri, Yeoju County, Gyeonggi Province, demolishing the ceiling of the basement, a police spokesman said.

Part of the floors of the stationery and hardware stores on the first floor were damaged, but the explosion did not affect the residential housing on the second floor, the spokesman said, adding there was no fire.

Police said they had received reports of gas leakage from the building Monday night.