2 dead, 17 injured in building explosion

At least two people were killed and another 17 were injured after an explosion early Thursday morning in a residential building in northeast China's Heilongjiang province, local authorities said.

Police in the province's Jixi City received reports at about 5:26 a.m. that an explosion had occurred at a building in Longshan International Community, according to the municipal government.

One person died at the scene and another died on the way to the hospital. A number of apartments were also damaged in the explosion, according to the government.

A natural gas leak probably contributed to the explosion, according to an initial investigation by rescuers.

The fire has been extinguished, and rescue work is under way.

The cause of the accident is being investigated.