Gas explosion rips through restaurant in Abu Dhabi; two killed

Abu Dhabi: A powerful gas explosion ripped through a restaurant in the UAE’s capital here on Monday, killing two persons, police said.

A number of people were injured in the explosion which took place at the fast-food restaurant in a building on Rashid Bin Saeed Street, Khaleej Times reported.

“According to on-site investigations, the incident was caused by a misalignment in the gas container fittings following refuelling,” the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.

Emergency response teams evacuated residents of the building and cordoned off the area, the Abu Dhabi Police said.

Two persons have been killed in the explosion, the Abu Dhabi Media office said in a statement on social media.

One of the deceased was present near the site while the other one was a passer-by who was hit by debris, it said.

The Rapid Intervention Teams of the Emergency and Public Safety Directorate are currently at the site to ensure public safety.

The sound from the explosion was “so loud that it shook the area,” an eyewitness was quoted as saying by the report.

“I was driving in the area when the incident occurred. I heard a very loud sound. It was so scary,” said Julius Banks, a taxi driver in Abu Dhabi.

The entire restaurant and the ground floor of the building were gutted in the blast. A number of vehicles parked outside were also damaged, the report said.