Death toll rises to 5 in German gas explosion

LEHRBERG, Germany, Sep 23 (Reuters) The death toll from a gas explosion in southern Germany that destroyed a bakery and apartment block on Friday has risen to five, police said today.

A police spokesman said that an additional 16 people had been injured yesterday in the blast, which tore through buildings in the village of Lehrberg in northern Bavaria.

''There are no more missing,'' the spokesman said.

The explosion occurred shortly after 8 a.m. (1130 IST) yesterday and was most likely due to a faulty gas tank in one of the buildings, fire officials have said. Police said yesterday that at least one person was killed and another six were missing after the explosion.

Police said workers were trying to remove a refuelling truck containing 4,000 litres of liquid gas which was blown over by the blast.

The truck happened to be near the building where the explosion occurred but authorities said it had not caused the accident.

REUTERS BDP SSC1337