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MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Police are actively hunting for two suspects believed to be behind an explosion that rocked an Indian restaurant west of Toronto, sending 15 people to hospital, the chief of the investigating force said Friday.

Jennifer Evans of Peel Region police said the investigation into Thursday night’s blast at the Bombay Bhel restaurant in Mississauga, Ont., is in its early stages, but said the incident is not believed to be a hate crime or an act of terrorism.

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“This is a really serious investigation,” Evans said outside the plaza where the restaurant is located. “We want to take our time, make sure we’re very methodical in it. So we’re putting a lot of resources into this right now.”

Police said there was no information to suggest there was a threat to public safety, noting that they believed the blast was an isolated incident.

Photo by Victor Biro for Postmedia

The two men suspected in the case walked into the restaurant, located near Hurontario Street and Eglinton Avenue, around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday as two separate groups were holding birthday parties, Evans said.

The hoodie-clad suspects were seen carrying an “improvised explosive device” and fled the scene in an unidentified vehicle, Evans said.

The resulting explosion injured 15 people ranging in age from 23 to 69, Evans said, adding they were taken to three different hospitals in the area.