Man dies in gas explosion in Jerusalem; 3 hurt

A 40-year-old man was killed in a gas explosion at a Jerusalem residential complex on Tuesday, medics said.

At least three other people injured from the blast were hospitalized, a spokeswoman for Hadassah Hospital Ein Karem said.

A 62-year-old woman and a couple in their 70s suffered minor injuries as a result of the explosion.

The man was pronounced dead shortly after he was pulled from rubble by emergency services. It was unclear if he was alive when pulled out.

The incident took place in an underground parking garage on Dan Street, in the neighborhood of Baka, south of the city center.

Emergency officials were still searching the area to ensure that there were no additional trapped civilians. They were also calling in additional firefighters and rescue crews to confirm the leak was contained.

The Magen David Adom emergency service said the blast caused massive damage to an apartment and part of the parking garage ceiling had collapsed.

“A man and a woman… were taken out of the apartment where they had been when the explosion took place. They were fully conscious with no external injuries. We gave them an initial checkup on site and had them taken to the hospital for further checks,” the rescue service said.

Police tweeted that two suspects who had done work on the gas line had been detained.