Seven killed, dozens injured in kindergarten explosion in eastern China

At least seven people were killed and 59 others injured in an explosion near a kindergarten in Fengxian County, east China's Jiangsu Province on Thursday afternoon.

The incident happened as children were waiting to be picked up after school. 

Two people died at the scene and five died later in hospital.

A kindergarten in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, is rocked by an explosion Thursday afternoon, June 15, 2017. [Photo: weibo of xdkb.net]

Nine people are seriously injured. 

Local authorities have launched a rescue operation and an investigation into the cause of the blast is underway.