Many hurt in Spanish 'gas blast'

At least 25 people have been injured, 17 of them seriously, in a suspected gas explosion near the Spanish city of Barcelona, officials say.

The blast happened in a block of flats in Gava, a suburb of Barcelona, partially destroying the building.

A regional government spokeswoman told the AFP news agency that "an accumulation of gas" could have caused the explosion.

There are fears that more people could be trapped in the building.

The blast happened at about 0300 local time (0200 GMT) on Wednesday, officials say.

At least four children were among the injured.

Some 14 families lived in the building, local police told Spain's Efe new agency.

An estimated people 50 living in neighbouring houses were evacuated from the area as a precaution.