Several killed in Pakistan blast

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A large cloud of smoke was seen rising from a building

At least three people are reported to have been killed in an explosion in the Pakistani city of Peshawar.

Officials initially said the blast, near a KFC restaurant, was caused by a bomb, but later reports suggested it was an accidental explosion.

Local TV showed black smoke rising from a building and burning cars.

The explosion came a day after 35 people were killed in a militant attack on a mosque near the Pakistani army's headquarters in Rawalpindi.

Investigators quoted by the Associated Press said they found no trace of explosives at the scene of the Peshawar blast.

BBC News website reader Gulmehra Khan sent this picture from the scene

Several people were seen clinging to windows in one building that was on fire, shouting for help.

Police Chief Liaquat Ali Khan told AP it was an accidental explosion that went off in a shop with paint stored inside, although the exact cause remains unclear.

Peshawar has been a frequent target for militant attacks, and initial reports suggested it may have been another such incident.

Soon after the explosion the region's information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, had suggested the explosion was caused by a car bomb, detonated remotely.