A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Friday expressed condolences to the families of the victims in a gas explosion that occurred in the city of Taichung in central part of Taiwan region.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, also extended sincere sympathy to those injured in the blast, which occurred at a department store in Taichung on Thursday.

The gas explosion has left four people dead and injured 32 as of 11 a.m. on Friday.

(Cover: Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a press conference in Beijing, China. /VCG file photo)