THE number of people injured in the CityOne mall explosion in Kuching yesterday rose to 41 overnight, with the death toll staying at three.

Many of the injured were brought to hospital in private cars, thus missing yesterday’s headcount, which had put the number of injured at four.

Nine of the injured were admitted into the Sarawak general hospital in critical condition, with three in intensive care, the Fire and Rescue Services Department said in its latest update.

It stated 16 were admitted in “semi-critical” condition into SGH while five sustained “non-critical” injuries in the 3.30pm blast that ripped through the Nene Korean fried chicken outlet on the ground floor of the mall that was undergoing its final touches for what would be the opening today.

Authorities believe leaked gas, ignited by sparks from a welding work, to be the cause of the explosion.

A male Indonesian was the only foreigner injured in the incident and was warded at the SGH. No other details are available at this time.

Five victims were warded and four others received outpatient treatment at the Borneo Medical Centre. Two more sought outpatient treatment at the Timberland Medical Centre.

The three killed in the blast have been identified as O Kui Lim, 49, of Taman Lucky Field in Batu Kawa, Kuching; Tchee Kiam Jong, 24, of BDC Stutong; and Chin Hsien Loong, 29, of Taman Kambar, Butterworth, Penang.

A cadaver dog was deployed to check for remains trapped under the debris. – December 5, 2018.