Chengdu Kitchen Explosion Tragedy: Three Patrons Killed as Gas Leak Triggers Powerful Restaurant Blast

Chengdu, China— Three patrons were killed Saturday evening when a commercial kitchen gas explosion ripped through a restaurant in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

The blast happened at around 7:25 p.m. local time in a hotpot restaurant on the first floor of a mixed-use building in Wuhou District. The restaurant was full for Saturday dinner. Witnesses said they smelled gas, then a fireball burst from the kitchen. Windows blew out onto the street. The ceiling collapsed over four tables.

Emergency responders found three diners dead under debris. They were seated near the kitchen entrance. Nine other people were injured, including two kitchen staff. Five suffered burns. They were taken to West China Hospital. Two are in critical condition.

The Chengdu Fire and Rescue Bureau said the explosion was caused by a leak from a liquefied petroleum gas cylinder connection. The hose had cracked. Gas accumulated in the closed kitchen. A spark from a stove ignitor triggered the blast. The cylinder itself did not explode, but the gas cloud did.

The restaurant had 80 seats and was licensed for electric and gas cooking. City safety records show it was inspected in June and told to replace gas hoses. It is unclear if the order was followed. The owner has been detained for questioning, standard in fatal commercial accidents.

"There was a hissing sound, then all at once fire and glass everywhere," one diner who escaped with minor injuries told police. The account matches footage from a street camera showing a flash followed by people running out covered in dust.

The blast damaged the restaurant's façade and two neighboring shops. The second floor, containing apartments, was evacuated. Structural engineers said the building's frame held, but the kitchen wall failed. Gas supply to the block was shut off.

Chengdu has launched a citywide inspection of restaurant gas systems after a series of similar blasts this year. Officials said 1,200 eateries will be checked within a week.

The site remains cordoned off while forensic experts examine the kitchen fittings.