Two people have been killed and 55 others injured in a gas blast in east China on Friday morning.

The sudden blast occurred at 8:.30am at a noodle restaurant in a popular area of Hangzhou, a scenic city in Zhejiang province resulting in heavy fire and shattering windows of nearby vehicles.

More than 20 passengers on a bus that was in range of the blast were injured. Among those hurt, 12 had sustained serious injuries.