A gas explosion was reported in North China's Tianjin Municipality on Tuesday afternoon, leaving 23 injured, including three severely burned, according to media. Media outlets reported on Wednesday that according to the notice issued by local emergency management bureau, the accident was the result of a gas leak caused by illegal construction.

The accident happened near a crossroad in Tianjin's Baodi district, around 4:45 pm local time on Tuesday.

A video clip of the accident scene circulating online shows that the shops along the street were damaged with their doors smashed and the road covered with debris.

Apart from the three severely burned victims who are receiving treatment at the specialized hospital, 15 are under observation at hospital with minor injuries and another five were discharged as of Tuesday night.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation by the local authorities and the rescue of personnel and follow-up work are underway.