Sarajevo  -  One person was killed and three badly injured in a gas explosion late Sunday night in downtown Sarajevo, police in Bosnia-Herzegovina's capital confirmed Monday.

The explosion, believed to be caused by a gas leak, started a fire on the top floor of the four-storey apartment building in the centre of Sarajevo, completely destroying three apartments.

Three people were in critical condition in hospital, hospital spokeswoman Biljana Jandric said.

The powerful explosion shattered windows in surrounding buildings and nearby cars.

The centre of Sarajevo was blocked for several hours while firefighters fought the blaze and cleared the scene. (dpa)