An explosion in a fireworks factory in central China resulted in the death of at least 26 individuals and left 61 others injured, as per reports from state media on Tuesday. This incident led to the temporary suspension of all fireworks manufacturing activities near the location.
The explosion took place at a fireworks plant situated in Changsha city, Hunan province, on Monday afternoon, as reported by China’s official news agency Xinhua. The facility, managed by Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co. in Liuyang, a renowned fireworks hub in China, was affected.
Changsha mayor Chen Bozhang stated during a press conference that the search and rescue operation at the scene had mostly concluded, but the process of confirming casualties and identifying victims was still ongoing.
Expressing condolences and apologizing to the affected families and injured individuals, Chen conveyed deep remorse on behalf of the local government. The site witnessed a substantial amount of products catching fire, triggering continuous explosions, as mentioned by Ding Weiming, the party secretary of the Changsha Emergency Management Bureau.
All fireworks and firecracker production in Liuyang has been instructed to cease operations, according to local media reports. Aerial footage broadcasted by state-run CCTV displayed smoke emanating from damaged sections of the site, with collapsed structures visible.
Hundreds of rescuers were mobilized to the area, and residents in high-risk zones were evacuated due to the proximity of two black powder warehouses, which posed significant dangers. Authorities initiated an investigation into the explosion and detained the company’s responsible individual, as confirmed by Xinhua.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for exhaustive search efforts to locate missing persons and provide aid to the injured. He emphasized the need for a prompt inquiry into the incident and holding those accountable for their actions.
This recent explosion comes after China experienced two fatal blasts at fireworks outlets during the Lunar New Year period in February. Notably, China dominated the global fireworks market in 2021, exporting fireworks worth $1.14 billion US, representing over two-thirds of worldwide sales, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity.