7 dead in Turkish restaurant gas canister blast

ISTANBUL –

A gas canister explosion at a restaurant in western Turkiye killed seven people on Friday, officials said.

The blast injured five others in the Nazilli district of Aydin province, Gov. Huseyin Aksoy tweeted.

One of the injured was in critical condition and intubated, with burns over 80% of the person’s body, and was being transferred to western Izmir province for treatment, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted.

The blast occurred at around 3:30 p.m (1230 GMT; 7:30 a.m. EST) as a gas canister was being changed at a Turkish doner kebab shop, the Nazilli public prosecutor’s office said. The statement said there were detention warrants out for five people.

Earlier, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag tweeted that one person who is “alleged to have caused the explosion” was detained and three prosecutors were investigating.

Media reported that there was a fire following the explosion at the restaurant, which is located on a busy street. Footage showed fire trucks and ambulances at the scene.