Blasts in a cooking gas station on Wednesday left tens of casualties and heavy material losses in Alhoban area of Taiz, local residents said.

A series of blasts were heard in the residential areas as locals attributed the accident to the explosions of gas cylinders and gas tank in the station. Buildings and cars near the explosion site sustained serious damages.

According to initial toll, one of the station's workers was killed and tens of civilians were wounded and taken to private hospitals.

In the absence of equipped firefighting teams, cooking gas stations based near residential neighbourhoods pose real threat to thousands of residents.