A gas cylinder explosion in the capital of the United Arab Emirates killed two people and injured 120 others Monday, police said, hours after authorities downplayed the incident and warned the public not to share images of the aftermath.
The explosion struck a restaurant just after 1 p.m. in Abu Dhabi's Khalidiya neighborhood, just a few blocks from the capital's beachfront corniche. Initially, Abu Dhabi police vaguely referred to damage and injuries, showing pictures of glass and debris littering the street.
Six hours later in a tweet, Abu Dhabi police offered the casualties - 64 people with “minor injuries,” 56 with “moderate injuries” and two people killed.
“The injured were transferred to the hospital to receive necessary health care, with material damage to shops and facades of six buildings,” the police said. They described an investigation into the blast as ongoing.
