Gas blast at US jail injures 100 inmates

A suspected gas explosion at a jail in the US state of Florida has caused major damage and injured some 100 inmates.

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The explosion shortly before midnight on Wednesday caused part of a building at the Escambia County Jail to collapse, CNN has reported, quoting local police.

Some 600 prisoners were in the building at the time of the explosion. Unhurt inmates were transferred to other facilities.

A search-and-rescue operation is under way.

MORE TO COME.