Two killed, six injured in Daegu paint shop explosion

Two police officers were killed and six injured in an explosion at a store in this southeastern city suspected to have been caused by flammable paints and paint thinners, police and fire officials said Tuesday.

The blast occurred around 11:45 a.m. Monday with a loud explosive sound at the store in Daegu, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, they said. The huge explosion ripped through three nearby buildings and 10 cars, they added.

The bodies of the two police officers -- only identified by their surnames Nam and Jeon -- were found on the road about 10 meters away from the scene, fire officials said.

The two were patrolling the area at the time of the accident, they added.

The wounded people are being treated for mild injuries at a nearby hospital, police said.

Fire officials said that hundreds of cans of paint thinners stored inside the store may have caused the explosion and they will further investigate to determine the exact cause. (Yonhap News)