Beijing: A Hunan fireworks factory blast killed at least 26 people and injured dozens in central China, prompting President Xi Jinping to order a thorough investigation, state media reported Tuesday.
The explosion occurred around 4:40 pm local time on May 4 at Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company in Liuyang, a city under Changsha, Hunan province, according to Xinhua and CCTV.
State media said nearly 500 personnel and three rescue robots were involved in the rescue operations, while another account said authorities deployed more than 1,500 firefighters, rescuers, medical workers, and police.
Authorities evacuated nearby residents after officials identified two black-powder storage warehouses within the factory compound as high-risk hazards, Xinhua reported.
Officials established a 1km rescue area and a 3km control zone as teams carried out grid-style searches using a “human-machine coordinated approach.”
Changsha Mayor Chen Bozhang said crews had largely completed search-and-rescue work, while officials were still verifying casualties and identifying victims, according to the Associated Press.
Police detained the person in charge of Huasheng Fireworks, and investigators are examining the cause of the accident, China Daily reported.
Xi ordered strict accountability and directed authorities to strengthen risk screening, hazard control and public safety in key industries, Xinhua said.
CCTV reported that rescuers took the victims to Liuyang People’s Hospital. Local residents told Chinese media that the blast shattered windows, damaged metal doors and scattered heavy debris across roads.
Changsha authorities ordered fireworks and firecracker manufacturers in the city to suspend production for safety inspections after the blast.
China exported US$1.14 billion worth of fireworks in 2025, more than two-thirds of global sales, according to Observatory of Economic Complexity data.
