China prefab house explosion kills 14, wounds 147

XI'AN - Fourteen people were confirmed dead and 147 were injured following a powerful explosion at the site of some prefabricated houses in northwest China's Shaanxi Province on Monday.

The explosion hit five prefabricated houses around 2 p.m. on Monday, damaging nearby buildings at Xinmin Township, Fugu County. Among the injured, 106 remain hospitalized and 41 have returned home following treatment, according to authorities in charge of rescue work on Tuesday.

Rescue efforts had mostly concluded as of 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

An initial investigation indicated that the explosion could be caused by explosives. The makeshift houses had been built inside a residential compound. The explosion also damaged 58 nearby houses and 63 cars.

The prefab houses, owned by a local villager, were rented out in September. The owner of the houses is in police custody and an investigation is under way.
All people in the affected area were evacuated.