Taipei | A gas explosion at a department store in Taiwan on Thursday killed four people and left eight hospitalized, fire authorities said.

The blast occurred at the food court on the 12th floor of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store in Taichung city, the Taichung Fire Bureau said.

Among the dead were two people visiting from Macau, while a third was severely injured, Macao's Tourism Office confirmed Thursday. Local media reported that they were part of a family of seven who were there for tourism.

Dozens of firefighters were deployed to the scene at about 11:30 a.m. Parts of the building's exterior were damaged and scattered fragments were strewn on the streets.

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen told reporters at the scene that she felt the shock at her office nearby. She said the fire bureau would focus on a rescue operation first, but an investigation was also underway and officers were checking whether there were other sources of danger.

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said he had asked all relevant government agencies to investigate the cause of the accident.