5 injured in US shopping centre gas explosion

Washington, Oct 18 Five people were injured in a gas explosion at a shopping centre in the US state of Virginia, according to officials.

The incident took place on Saturday at the two-storey shopping centre, which is just a few blocks west of the James Madison University campus in Harrisonburg, reports Xinhua news agency.

Describing the incident as a "complete loss", Michael Parks, a spokesman for the city said at a news conference that a three-alarm fire spread to at least two other commercial buildings.

Among the injured were three James Madison University students, local media reports said.

One of the students reportedly received treatment at a hospital, while the other two were treated and released at the scene.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam tweeted that the incident was a "gas explosion".

( With inputs from IANS )