Heavy smoke billows from a building in Jilin City, Northeast China's Jilin Province after a natural gas blast on the early morning of Jan 17, 2011. [Photo/Xinhua]

CHANGCHUN - The death toll in the natural gas blast in an apartment block in Jilin City, Northeast China's Jilin Province, early Monday has risen to three.

More than 20 people were also injured in the explosion, and they were all hospitalized, said local sources.

Firefighters were trying to contain a blaze after the explosion ripped though a building in Changyi Community at about 6 am. The fire was said to have been brought under control by 10 am.

The blast also caused damage to a 500-meter stretch of road and shattered windows and collapsed billboards.

A resident surnamed Sun said local authorities had begun to evacuate people away from buildings on Jiefang Road at about 11 pm Sunday after locals smelled natural gas.

The scene of a natural gas blast in Jilin City, Northeast China's Jilin Province on the early morning of Jan 17, 2011. [Photo/Xinhua]