Harbin, May 23 : An explosion ripped from an apartment on the fourth floor of a five-story building in Harbin, the capital city of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province Thursday morning, with casualties yet to be identified, according to Xinhua’s reporter on site.

Witnesses told Xinhua that the explosion occurred after 7 a.m. on the building located at the intersection between Xiangshun and Gongbin streets in downtown Harbin.

Local residents heard a loud explosion, and suspected it was a gas explosion. The explosion blew the balcony of the apartment and several other balconies in nearby apartments.

People were seen running out of the building. Ambulance, public security and fire personnel have arrived at the site for rescue.

UNI