Suspected gas blast on Dublin's O'Connell Street

One of Dublin’s best known streets was shut today after a suspected gas explosion at a cafe.

O‘Connell Street was closed to traffic and pedestrians at lunchtime after the incident at the Kylemore at about 12.45pm.

There were no reports of injuries so far, a Garda spokesman said.

Both the north and south bound sides of the street were initially shut but the northern side later reopened.

A Bord Gáis inspector was on the scene, a spokesman for the company said.

It is not clear whether the explosion, which occurred in the basement of the cafe, was caused by gas.