An explosion caused by a propane-butane cylinder at a restaurant in Most, a city in northwest Czech Republic, claimed the lives of six people, according to emergency services on Sunday.
The blast resulted in a fire that engulfed the building.
Eight other individuals sustained injuries, while about 30 people were evacuated from the restaurant and nearby buildings following the incident, which occurred late Saturday evening, according to a statement from the Czech fire rescue service posted on the social media platform X.
Authorities believe the explosion may have been triggered by an overturned propane-butane heater in the restaurant’s outdoor area. Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan told Czech Radio that initial witness reports pointed to the heater as the likely cause.
Firefighters rescued one severely injured guest who had been trapped inside a bathroom. According to Czech Radio, around 20 patrons were present in the restaurant when the explosion happened. Photo by Julo, Wikimedia commons.