A gas explosion at a firing range in California injured 14 people and shut down traffic on a major highway for several hours Friday, local media reported. Eleven victims suffered burns requiring hospital treatment, including four who were in critical condition, dpa reported. Seven of the injured were inmates of the county jail who were working about 50 meters away from the blast site. Prisoners carry out maintenance at the shooting range. Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said it was not clear what caused the explosion. Witnesses said they saw a large piece of construction machinery driving near the range targets before the explosion. A ruptured gas pipe was involved. The driver of the front loader was a county public works employee who was blown from the vehicle, Mims said.
