At least 20 injured in gas explosion at shopping center in U.S. state Florida

At least 20 people were injured on Saturday in a gas explosion at a shopping center in Plantation, a city in southeastern U.S. state of Florida, local media reported.

A firefighter walks in front of the remains of a building after an explosion on Saturday, July 6, 2019, in Plantation, Fla. [Photo: IC]

Plantation Fire Battalion Chief Joel Gordon said that among them two people suffered serious injuries from the incident at the shopping center in the city near Fort Lauderdale.

Social media video showed heavy damage to the LA Fitness and nearby buildings at the shopping center. The authorities are searching through rubble to make sure there are no other victims.

An LA Fitness employee in the shopping center told NBC 6 she smelled gas earlier in the morning prior to the explosion.

"All stores and businesses in the area of the Fountains Plaza and the Plantation Marketplace plaza near LA Fitness will be shut down until further notice until Fire Personnel can determine that it is safe to return.," Plantation police tweeted.