A suspected gas explosion in Kazakhstan’s southern city of Taraz has killed at least three people and partially destroyed an apartment building, authorities say.



Health and emergency officials in Taraz said the blast occurred in an apartment on the second floor in a five-story apartment block at around 6:20 a.m on February 27.



Three apartments from the first to the third floors were destroyed by the blast.





At least six people were injured, of whom three were in hospitals, and a total of 145 people were evacuated from the building, officials said.



According to preliminary assessments made by police, the explosion "was caused by misuse of natural-gas equipment."

Based on reporting by Tengrinews and Zakon.kz</s>Five people were found dead in an apartment in Pennsylvania on Monday evening, according to several local reports.

Police made the grisly discovery while doing a welfare check at the apartment building in the Bucks County — about 30 miles north of Philadelphia, NBC Philadelphia reported.

Police found the bodies of three females and one male in a room in the apartment soon after they responded to the address at about 4 p.m., the Bucks County Courier Times reported.

Hours later, investigators found a fifth body in the apartment at about 10 p.m., according to the report.

Two women found in the apartment were also rushed to the hospital by medics.

Police did not release any information about the cause of deaths.</s>MANILA — After a demoralizing 0-2 stint in the fifth window, Gilas Pilipinas is heading to the FIBA World Cup after all.

Gilas booked the much coveted seat to the global tournament with a 93-75 rout of Kazakhstan. South Korea also won, 84-72, over Lebanon early Monday (Philippine time).

At the Republican Velodrome in Astana, Andray Blatche prevailed over Anthony Clemmons in the battle of naturalized players and Gilas avenged its Window 5 defeat to Kazakhstan in style.

Gilas erupted for 26 points in the third quarter behind the late surge of Jayson Castro before limiting Kazakhstan to just 15 in the final frame to close out the game.

Blatche, despite being hobbled by foul trouble, finished with 41 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and four steals for Gilas, which will enter the WC as the best fourth placer following Japan’s 96-48 blowout in Qatar.

Castro added 15 points, going 4-for-4 from long range, three rebounds, and one assist off the bench.

Junemar Fajardo showed that he can still deliver, contributing nine points, seven rebounds, and one assist in 12-and-a-half minutes of play while frustrating the Kazakhstan frontline.

Clemmons put up 27 points, four rebounds, nine assists, four steals, and one block while carrying the fight for Kazakhstan, but in the end, the locals lost steam at crunch time.

At the Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex in Zouk Mikael, South Korea stifled Lebanon in the final quarter, only conceding eight points, that eventually knocked the latter out of contention, giving Jordan, which owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Lebanon, a free pass to the World Cup.

Jordan even put the exclamation point with an 86-80 upset against New Zealand. PNA -northboundasia.com
A suspected gas explosion in Taraz, Kazakhstan, kills three people in an apartment block.