Six people injured in gas explosion at mall

A leaking gas pipe has been blamed for an explosion at a shopping mall in West Jakarta that injured six people and damaged 40 food counters. Police investigations are continuing into the blast, which was initially thought to have been caused by a bomb.

Emergency services were called to a food court in the Taman Anggrek Mall at about 10:20am on Wednesday after the explosion and treated six people aged between 29 and 44 years, The Jakarta Post reported. Police did not release information on their conditions.

One witness, a 51-year-old called Fauzi, said he heard a hissing noise above the Soto Betwai food counter at around 10:15am, and turned off the gas handle on the counter. However, gas had already escaped and a fire broke out.