An explosion rocked a kindergarten in eastern China on Thursday, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens, authorities said, as state media published images showing bloodied and unconscious victims.
However, state media reports say people have been hurt and photos from the scene posted to social media shows children and adults lying on the ground, some of them bleeding.
The explosion occurred in front of the gate of the Chuangxin Kindergarten at about 4:50 p.m., according to Fengxian police. Nine others are described as being seriously injured.
Two people died on the spot and five more later.
An eyewitness surnamed Shi told the Global Times newspaper that the blast was caused by an explosion of a gas cylinder at a roadside food stall.
Video footage showed injured people holding crying children and one woman with burned clothing staggering unsteadily. Some things that get reported by the media will later turn out to be wrong.
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A police auto blocked access to the kindergarten early Friday, far from the scene of the tragedy as reporters tried to reach the school.
Nurseries in China have been targeted in the past in apparent revenge attacks carried out by people bearing grudges against other people.
Officials later said the fire was intentionally set by the driver, who was angry at losing overtime wages.
Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun "demanded enhanced checks of possible risks at densely populated venues" and his deputy was dispatched to the area to conduct the probe, Xinhua news agency reported.
There have also been knife attacks at schools in recent years. Just in January, a man stabbed 11 students to death at a kindergarten in Guangxi province.
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