Canberra, May 2 (IANS): Six people were injured in a gas explosion at a recycling plant in Australia's Victoria state on Tuesday, according to local media.

Emergency services responded to the incident in Shepparton North at about 8 a.m., with residents in the area reporting a loud bang, which was heard up to a kilometre or so from the site of the blast, Xinhua news agency reported.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson confirmed that six people were hospitalised with upper-body injuries.

Two men were airlifted to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, where one of them, believed to be in his 40s, remained in a critical but stable condition.

Four others were taken by road to Goulburn Valley Health in stable condition.

There was no further risk to the public from the incident and none of the nearby businesses needed to be evacuated, said Shepparton police inspector Bruce Simpson.

Emergency crews told Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the explosion was caused by a metal shredding machine.

WorkSafe Victoria is onsite and interviewing staff to try to determine the cause of the explosion, ABC reported, adding that the facility recycles containers such as aerosol cans and fire extinguishers.