Authorities say it's lucky no-one was killed in a major gas main explosion at a busy food court in Sydney's Chinatown district where hundreds of diners were enjoying dinner.
At least 200 people were in the five-storey building in Haymarket when the explosion occurred in the loading dock of the building just after 7.30pm on Tuesday.
Seven people, including a two-year-old boy, were taken to hospital, while nine others were treated at the scene.
"No-one was killed and we are so thankful for that," NSW fire brigade inspector, Norm Buckley, said from the cordoned-off scene on Wednesday morning.
"It's really lucky," he said.
Insp Buckley said it was an "extremely powerful" blast and there were hundreds of people out and about enjoying the warm night.
He was on the scene shortly after the explosion and said it resembled a big blast zone.
"There was a lot of chaos, a lot of people running around not too sure what was going on," he told reporters on Wednesday.
Firefighters immediately smelt gas as they arrived to the blast and worked to secure and evacuate the building, he said.
The "very, very" powerful explosion blew a roller door off the building and shattered toughened glass, Insp Buckley said.
There was no fire for the more than 30 firefighters who attended to extinguish because the blast used up all the gas.
Many of the injured were hurt from flying debris and had to be treated for cuts and bruises.
Paramedics set up a triage area and assessed 16 people at the scene with seven taken to Sydney hospitals.
The young boy is at Sydney Children's Hospital, an NSW Ambulance spokesman said.
The main gas pipeline had been leaking into an basement area with no real ventilation where it had pooled for some time before exploding, Insp Buckley said.
It took firefighters and the gas company "quite a long time" to find the gas leak and plug a hole in the pipe, he said.
The footpath near the building was ripped up so the gas company could crimp the gas line.
Investigators remain at the scene on Wednesday to identify the source of the blast.
The Chinatown building was still stable, said Insp Buckley, but there was a lot of damage, with doors blown clean off their hinges and damage to furniture, fittings and glass.
"The damage to the building is very extensive," Mr Buckley said.
Karen He, 28, who was in a building next to Dixon House told The Daily Telegraph the gas explosion sounded like thunder.
"Then we saw the smoke coming out from the building and then we were worried. But it just sounded like thunder."
Share
