Polish experts seek evidence in gas blast that killed 8

Investigators in southern Poland are questioning witnesses and gathering evidence in their probe into a gas blast that killed eight members of one family, including children.

Spokeswoman for regional prosecutors Agnieszka Michulec said Friday they suspect that damage to a local pipeline during works led to a gas leak, a blast and a fire that destroyed the family's house in the popular mountain resort of Szczyrk on Wednesday.

She said autopsies are planned for early next week to determine the exact cause of death of three generations of the family of ski instructors.

The victims were identified as Jozef K and his wife Jolanta, both aged 60, their grandson Szymon, aged 10, their nephew Wojciech K, 39, his 38-year-old wife Anna and three children aged 10, 6 and 3.

A water company that was carrying out works near their house on the day of the blast denied in a statement that its activity could have caused the explosion.