TAIPEI - Twelve people were injured in a gas explosion at a food processing factory in Taiwan's New Taipei City Wednesday morning, according to the local fire department.

The explosion ripped through the factory at around 11:27 am, with five men and seven women hospitalized.

More than 140 firefighters and 53 emergency vehicles arrived at the scene.

Preliminary investigation showed the explosion was caused by a gas leak.

Further investigation is underway.