Investigation begun into China gas explosion; toll now 25

An investigation has begun into the cause of a gas line explosion at a market in central China where the death toll has risen to 25

BEIJING -- An investigation has begun into the cause of a gas line explosion at a market in central China where the death toll has risen to 25. Rescuers climbed over smashed bricks and slabs of concrete to find victims following the blast early Sunday that ripped through the market in the Hubei province city of Shiyan as residents were buying breakfast and fresh vegetables. Local officials announced the higher death toll and the formation of an investigation team at a news conference late Monday. The two-story building built in the early 1990s included pharmacies, restaurants and other businesses. More than 900 people were evacuated from the area.