The death toll from a massive explosion at a fireworks factory in central China has risen to 26, with 61 others injured, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
The blast occurred at approximately 4:43pm on Monday at the Liuyang Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company in the city of Liuyang, located in Hunan province. State broadcaster China Central Television reported that the explosion triggered a series of secondary blasts, sending a thick plume of smoke into the sky.
In response, authorities ordered all fireworks manufacturers in the provincial capital Changsha, which administers Liuyang, to halt production pending safety inspections.
Footage shared on social media showed repeated explosions in a mountainous rural area, while aerial images broadcast a day later revealed extensive destruction, with buildings reduced to smouldering debris. Rescue teams and heavy machinery were seen combing through the rubble as smoke continued to rise from damaged structures, many of which had their roofs blown off.
Changsha Mayor Chen Bozhang said at a media briefing that five additional deaths had been confirmed since earlier reports placed the toll at 21.
“We feel deeply grieved and filled with remorse,” Chen said, adding that search and rescue operations were “basically complete”.
According to CCTV, more than 480 emergency personnel were deployed to the scene, supported by experts dispatched by the central government. A three-kilometre exclusion zone was established, and nearby residents were evacuated as a precaution.
Police have detained members of the company’s management as investigations into the cause of the explosion continue.
President Xi Jinping has called for “all-out efforts” to treat the injured, locate any missing persons and ensure accountability for those responsible, state news agency Xinhua News Agency reported.
Liuyang is one of China’s major fireworks production hubs, accounting for about 60% of domestic sales and roughly 70% of exports.
Industrial accidents remain a recurring concern in China, particularly in high-risk sectors such as fireworks manufacturing, where safety standards have often come under scrutiny.
In recent years, several similar incidents have been reported. Last year, an explosion at another fireworks factory in Hunan killed nine people, while in 2023, blasts in residential buildings in the northern city of Tianjin claimed three lives. Earlier this year, separate explosions at fireworks shops in Hubei and Jiangsu left a combined 20 people dead.