Explosion at fireworks factory in China kills 21

2026-05-05 07:28:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

An explosion at a fireworks factory in China's Hunan province has killed 21 people and injured 61, according to state media.

The explosion at the Huasheng fireworks factory occurred at around 4:40 p.m. local time (08:40 GMT) on Monday in the city of Liuyang, prompting rescuers to evacuate everyone within a 3km radius of the plant.

Authorities deployed nearly 500 people to carry out search and rescue operations and treat the injured, while robots were used to help find those trapped inside the building.

Police, who are investigating the cause of the explosion, have taken "control measures" against the person responsible for the fireworks company, Chinese state media reported.

Authorities said two gunpowder warehouses within the factory area posed a high risk amid rescue efforts, state media reported.

Rescue teams were forced to evacuate everyone within a 3 km (1.9 mi) radius of the fireworks plant. They also implemented measures such as wetting the area to "prevent secondary accidents during rescue."

The impact of the explosion was so devastating that the windows of a residential building near the factory were also shattered, a CCTV reporter noted in a television broadcast from the scene.

The ages of the injured range from their 20s to their 60s, and some suffered bone injuries after being hit by flying debris, the CCTV report said.

President Xi Jinping has urged all-out efforts to search for people still missing and rescue the injured. Xi also called for an investigation into the accident to hold those responsible accountable, state media reported.

Speaking to Beijing News, a resident who lives about 1km from the factory said villagers now have to take detours after stones were thrown onto the road.

"The glass windows in our homes were broken, the aluminum window frames were deformed, and even the stainless steel doors were warped and lost their shape," she said.

Another resident told the media that she had left the village out of fear.

The city of Liuyang is known for its fireworks production, reportedly being the largest fireworks producer in the world.

Explosions at fireworks factories and shops are not uncommon in China - and are often deadly. In February, 12 people were killed in an explosion at a fireworks shop in Hubei province.