Multiple Gas Explosions at Kaohsiung Kill 25: Report

Multiple gas explosions in the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung killed 25 and injured more than 270 on Friday.

The city's Cianjhen district and the surrounding two to three kilometer were ripped off and the streets were filled with the remains of the explosion. Vehicles flew up in the air from the pressure of the blast.

The explosion, which began around midnight Thursday, raised fires that lasted for hours. The cause of the explosion is not yet confirmed it may have been caused by a gas leak.

Twenty-six firefighters were among the casualties, 4 are feared dead. Many people are still missing including a senior fire fighter who responded to an emergency call for the location of the leak .

A highly flammable petrochemical products like ethylene, propane or butane might have caused the blast, said Minister of Economic Affairs Chang Chia-juch, reports Taiwan news channel.

The officials suspect 'the cause of the blast is petrochemical as the location owns many plants but which company pipeline is the prior reason for blast can't be confirmed."

The search and rescue operation is still on with firefighters going through the debris looking for survivors. Tainan City and Pingtung County have sent troops to Kaohsiung to speed up the rescue, reports the New York Times.

Mayor Chen Chu announced that all schools and offices will remain closed.

More than 1000 people were displaced from their homes and spent the night in shelter homes. Kaohsiung, is the second largest city of Taiwan with a population of 2.8 million.