A propane-butane cylinder explosion in a restaurant in Most, a city in northwest Czech Republic, killed six and injured eight people, according to emergency services that reported on Sunday. The late Saturday evening explosion set the building on fire and caused the evacuation of 30 people from the restaurant and adjacent buildings.
According to early accounts from eye-witnesses, the fire broke out after a heater had been overturned. On social media, the Czech fire rescue service claimed that the most probable cause of the explosion was that a propane-butane heater located in the front garden of the restaurant fell over and started a fire.
Interior Minister Vit Rakusan confirmed this cause to Czech Radio, adding that the explosion led to significant damage, with around 20 guests present at the time. Among the injured, one person was rescued from a bathroom, where they had been trapped, in critical condition.
Emergency workers were also actively managing the situation by conducting rescue operations throughout the night. The incident has sparked several investigations on the safety of propane-butane equipment and the restaurant’s safety procedures.
