ABU DHABI
\nTwo people were killed and 120 injured in a gas cylinder explosion in a restaurant in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi, police said.
\nInitial reports \u201cshowed that 64 people sustained minor injuries, 56 others were moderately wounded, and two people died\u201d, police tweeted.
\nThe blast on Monday set off a fire that damaged the facades of six buildings and a number of stores before being brought under control, they added.
\nFour of the damaged buildings were \u201csafely\u201d evacuated, with efforts underway to find their residents temporary housing \u201cuntil the buildings are completely secured\u201d, the police said.
\nPictures released by Abu Dhabi police showed first responders tending to a person on a gurney, and debris and broken glass strewn across the pavement.
\nA witness told The National newspaper that he heard two explosions around lunchtime.
\n\u201cThe first sound was small and people started calling the fire and police,\u201d said the man, who was not identified.
\n\u201cThen soon, there was a big blast. It was a really big sound. The windows shook and in some offices, the windows shattered.\u201d
\nThe authorities gave no indication of foul play.
\nHowever, the UAE has been on heightened alert since a Yemen rebel drone and missile attack killed three oil workers in Abu Dhabi on January 17.
\nAuthorities have since thwarted three similar attacks, including one claimed by a little-known militant group believed to have ties with pro-Iran armed factions in Iraq.
\nThe UAE is part of a Saudi-led military coalition that has been fighting in Yemen since 2015 to support the government against Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who control the capital Sanaa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ABU DHABI Two people were killed and 120 injured in a gas cylinder explosion in a restaurant in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi, police said. Initial reports \u201cshowed that 64 people sustained minor injuries, 56 others were moderately wounded, and two people died\u201d, police tweeted. The blast on Monday set off a fire […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":262543,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6],"tags":[7701,7700,7702],"class_list":{"0":"post-262515","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"tag-abu-dhabi","9":"tag-gas-explosion","10":"tag-restaurant"},"yoast_head":"\n