Five people injured in suspected gas blast at 2 restaurants in Banqiao

New Taipei, Dec. 8 (CNA) A suspected gas explosion tore through two restaurants in New Taipei's Banqiao District early Monday, injuring five passersby and damaging nearby buildings, according to local police and firefighters.

The blast occurred at around 12:57 a.m. in a shared second-floor kitchen used by Teishoku 8 and Sushi Express on Lane 12, Chongqing Road, in the district's busy Fuzhong commercial area.

The explosion sent glass and debris flying onto the street, hitting five passersby -- four women and one man, according to the New Taipei Fire Department, which dispatched 29 vehicles and 88 emergency personnel to the scene.

One of the women declined medical attention, while the other four people were sent to Shuang Ho Hospital and Far Eastern Memorial Hospital for treatment, authorities said.

A resident in the area was also taken to hospital after she reported feeling ill, authorities said, adding that none of the five people required hospitalization.

Local police and firefighters suspect that the blast was caused by a gas explosion, which occurred after the two restaurants had closed at around 9:30 p.m. Sunday and the last employee had left half an hour later.

Firefighters later found four gas cylinders at the scene. The damage from the blast extended to an estimated 174 square meters inside the two restaurants, authorities said, adding that the cause of the explosion is being investigated.

New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜), who inspected the site Monday morning, said that at least six homes in the area had reported damage, but the exact number would be confirmed pending structural assessments.

Engineers and district officials will conduct door-to-door inspections, and a task force has been set up to help affected residents seek compensation, he added.

Meanwhile, the Fuzhong streets, some of which had been cordoned off after the blast, were cleaned up and reopened before commute time on Monday morning, according to the fire department.