At least 10 people died while 157 others were wounded when a pre-fabricated house exploded Monday afternoon at a residential area in Fugu County in China.
Initial investigation revealed that dozens of workers were building a makeshift house inside a residential compound when the blast occurred, according to China's state-run news agency Xinhua.
The powerful explosion also damaged a hospital building nearby while burying people alive under the rubble. While the authorities are still investigating the cause of the incident, a local Huashang newspaper said the blast "might be related to unlicensed storage of explosives."
As part of safety procedure, the power was cut during the night amid rescue operations. Dozens of firefighters and rescuers are combing the rubble for more survivors, according to a Xinhua report.
Just before midnight, 113 more people were admitted to the hospital including 11 others at the intensive care unit.
China's social media website Weibo was filled with photos and videos of people running for safety while covered in blood in the middle of ruined buildings.
Some pictures showed mothers carrying their children while others were stunned and rattled by the powerful explosion. Police and emergency services have launched a rescue operation.
Chine. Une explosion à #Fugu, #Shanxi, serait causée par un stockage clandestin de produits explosifs dans une cave pic.twitter.com/KMA2kFbDBo
— Zhulin Zhang (@ZhangZhulin) October 24, 2016