Fireworks plant explosion in China kills at least 26, injures dozens more, state media say

Beijing — An explosion at a fireworks factory in a central Chinese province killed at least 26 people and injured 61 others, authorities said Tuesday.

China’s official Xinhua news agency said the explosion occurred Monday afternoon at a factory in the city of Changsha, Hunan province. State media outlet China Daily said the factory was operated by Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co. in the county-level city of Liuyang, administered by Changsha, a major fireworks powerhouse.

Changsha Mayor Chen Bozhang said search and rescue operations at the scene had largely been completed, but verification of the toll and identification of victims were still underway.

Aerial footage from state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday showed white smoke still billowing in some areas of the site, with facilities collapsed or damaged.

Nearly 500 rescue workers were deployed to the scene and residents in dangerous areas were evacuated by authorities, citing high risks from two black powder warehouses located near the blast site, according to the Xinhua report.

Authorities were investigating the cause of the explosion and police arrested the company manager, Xinhua said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “all-out efforts” to search for those still missing and rescue the injured. He called on authorities to quickly investigate the cause and seriously pursue responsibility, according to the report. Xi also ordered effective risk screening and control in key industries as well as strengthening public security management.

To avoid further accidents during the operation, rescuers adopted measures such as spraying and humidification to eliminate potential dangers.

They also deployed three robots to assist in search and rescue operations.

Liuyang has a long history of fireworks production. The Guinness World Records organization said the first accurately documented firework, the Chinese firecracker, has been attributed to Li Tian, ​​a monk who lived near Liuyang during China’s Tang dynasty dating from around 618 to 907 CE. Li discovered that putting gunpowder into closed hollow bamboo stalks created loud explosions and linked the firecrackers together to create the traditional New Year firecrackers to ward off evil spirits, Guinness said.

In February, China reported two deaths explosions at fireworks stores during Lunar New Year period.

Data from the Economic Complexity Observatory showed that last year, China exported $1.14 billion worth of fireworks, accounting for more than two-thirds of global sales, Reuters news agency reported.