Explosion caused by gas leak injures 5 in Sulaimani café 

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – At least five people were injured in an explosion caused by a gas leak in a café in Sulaimani on Sunday, a firefighting authority told reporters. 

Three of the injured are firefighters, while the other two are workers in the shisha lounge near Sulaimani's vibrant Salim Street, the spokesperson for the Sulaimani firefighting directorate Rekan Jamal told Kurdistan 24. 

Their health conditions are stable, he added. 

Photos shared with Kurdistan 24 show shattered glass at the cafeteria's entrances.

The gas leak could have been contained before it ignited the explosion if those at the scene had dealt with the issue professionally, Jamal said, pointing out that the emergency shut down valve was nearby.

The damage caused by the explosion was limited to the cafeteria's kitchen, he added. 

A similar incident in a Sulaimani cafe in early May injured 15 people. 

According to the Kurdistan Region's firefighting officials, lack of adherence to safety measures is the leading cause behind accidental fires in the region.