At least 31 people were killed in an explosion Wednesday night at a restaurant in the northwestern Chinese city of Yinchuan, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported today.

“A liquefied petroleum gas leak (…) resulted in an explosion during the operation of a barbecue restaurant,” the agency explained, citing the regional committee of the Communist Party of China.

Seven other people are receiving medical treatment and one of the injured is in a “critical condition,” New China said.

Two victims have suffered very serious burns, two others have minor injuries, and two more were hit by broken glass, according to the same source.

Footage broadcast by state broadcaster CCTV showed more than a dozen firefighters battling flames and smoke billowing from a huge hole left by the blast. The street, home to many other dining and entertainment outlets, is littered with debris.

The explosion happened yesterday around 20:40 [τοπική ώρα· στις 15:40 ώρα Ελλάδας] at Fuyang BBQ Restaurant in the center of Yinchuan City, the capital of Ningxia Autonomous Region.

The tragedy came on the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival, a three-day celebration in which many Chinese are with family members and friends.

The Chinese president Xi Jinping called for every possible effort to “provide care to the injured and strengthen supervision and security in key industries and sectors to effectively protect the lives and livelihoods of citizens,” CCTV reported.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that more than 100 firefighters and members of rescue crews were at the site of the disaster.

The rescue operation was completed at 04:00 today [τοπική ώρα· χθες στις 23:00 ώρα Ελλάδας]the ministry added.