LONDON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Police in the British city of Liverpool confirmed Sunday that 33 people were injured, with two in serious condition, when a big explosion wrecked a number of buildings near the city in northwestern England on Saturday night.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said it was called at 2114 GMT on Saturday to reports of a suspected gas explosion which destroyed a large dance studio and dozens of buildings within a zone of several hundred meters at New Ferry, a community on the banks of the River Mersey.
The loud blast could be heard more than 10 kilometers away. Chief Fire Officer Dan Stephens said the scale of damage was considerable.
Residents nearby told local media that the explosion was like an earthquake.
The injured people have been taken to hospital after the blast.H The area was cordoned off for security reasons and some houses were evacuated.
