Internet cafe blast kills 6 in SW China

Firefighters work at the scene where six people were killed and 37 others injured in an Internet cafe explosion in Southwest China's Guizhou province Saturday night. [Photo/Xinhua]

Firefighters work at the scene where six people were killed and 37 others injured in an Internet cafe explosion in Southwest China's Guizhou province Saturday night. [Photo/Xinhua]

GUIYANG - Six people were killed and 37 others injured in an explosion that ripped through an Internet cafe in Southwest China's Guizhou province Saturday night, according to local police.

The explosion occurred at around 10:30 pm in an Internet cafe in the downtown area of the Kaili city of Miao-Dong autonomous prefecture of Qiandongnan, said Guizhou's provincial public security department.

Rescuers declared the end of the search work Sunday morning after pulling out six bodies and 37 wounded survivors. The injured -- 11 seriously -- have been rushed to local hospitals.

Rescuers said the powerful blast had turned the cafe into "complete ruins" and also destroyed windows of nearby residential buildings.

Local police have yet to confirm how many people were inside when the accident happened and identify the victims, as the customer registration book might have been burnt in the fire.

The cyber cafe, with 140 computers, has been in operation with license for many years, police said.

Dynamite experts are still investigating the site for the cause of the blast.