Bikaner, May 8 -- Nine people died and eight others were seriously injured in a massive gas cylinder blast in a shop in Rajasthan's Bikaner district on Wednesday.

The incident took place in Madan Market, located in the busy Kotwali police station area of Bikaner city. The explosion damaged the building in which the shop was located.

The blast was so powerful that the roof of the first floor of the market collapsed, trapping dozens of people under the debris.

"The incident occurred in a shop where work related to gold and silver was being done. Till now, eight people have died," said ASP Vishal Jangid.

The rescue operation continued as joint teams from NDRF, SDRF, Civil Defence, and the police recovered five more bodies from the rubble...