BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Three employees of a restaurant in downtown Beijing and some passers-by were injured in a gas cylinder explosion at the restaurant Friday morning, Xinhua learned.

    The wounded were rushed to hospital. Their injuries are not life threatening. The number of injured passers-by is not known yet.

    A local resident surnamed Sun said he heard the explosion around 9 a.m.

    Another witness, a woman surnamed Qiao, said the restaurant in Xinjiekou in Xicheng District of central Beijing collapsed after the blast.

    Police are investigating.