Four killed in gas explosion at Chinese BBQ restaurant

Rescue workers at the site following a gas explosion at a restaurant in Shenyang

BEIJING (Reuters) - Four people were killed and 47 were hurt in a gas explosion at a BBQ restaurant in China on Thursday, the local government said.

The explosion in northeastern Shenyang city shattered the windows of nearby buildings and halted traffic, state media said.

Nothing was left of the restaurant except exposed structural beams, according to videos circulating on Chinese social media.

More than 100 firefighters were sent to the scene.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion.

Graphic: Explosion rocks busy district in city of Shenyang in northeastern China - https://graphics.reuters.com/CHINA-BLAST/dwvkralbzpm/chart.png

(Reporting by Albee Zhang and Ryan Woo; Editing by Hugh Lawson)