A powerful explosion at a fireworks manufacturing unit in central China’s Hunan province killed 21 people and injured around 60, triggering a massive rescue operation, state media reported on Tuesday.
Nearly 500 rescuers were deployed to the scene and evacuations were conducted in danger zones. Officials were also evacuating residents within a 3-km radius of the plant, where two warehouses storing black gunpowder continue to pose a significant risk.
The blast happened at a workshop of the Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company in Liuyang, a major hub for firework production, according to reports by Xinhua.
Footage circulating on Chinese social media showed thick plumes of white smoke billowing from the site.
The impact of the explosion shattered doors and windows in nearby villages, with residents reporting debris, including large rocks, strewn across roads. Some villagers evacuated the area over safety concerns.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the incident, directing authorities to intensify efforts to locate missing persons and treat the injured.
He also urged stricter risk screening and hazard control across key industries, alongside improved public safety management to safeguard lives and property, the South China Morning Post reported.
China’s Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched a team to oversee rescue and relief efforts.
Meanwhile, police in Liuyang have detained senior executives of the company as part of an ongoing investigation into the cause of the blast.
To prevent secondary explosions during rescue operations, firefighters have been using water cannons to douse the site, while three rescue robots have been deployed to assist in search efforts.
The incident comes less than three months after a separate explosion at a firecracker store in China’s Hubei province killed 12 people.
