Dozens dead after firework factory explosion in China

An explosion at a fireworks factory in China has killed at least 26 people and injured 61 others, according to authorities.

Nearly 500 rescue workers and three robots were deployed to the scene in the city of Liuyang, in the central province of Hunan, on Monday afternoon, China’s official news agency Xinhua said.

Pictures from Chinese state television broadcast the factory’s damage. / Credit: CCTV

Nearby residents were also evacuated over fears of further explosions from two nearby black powder warehouses.

Aerial footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed white smoke still billowing from parts of the site and collapsed or damaged buildings.

Authorities were investigating the cause of the blast and police have detained the person in charge of the company, Xinhua said.

Hundreds of rescue workers have been dispatched to the scene. / Credit: Xinhua via AP

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “all-out efforts” to search for people who are still unaccounted for and for authorities to investigate the cause swiftly and pursue serious accountability, the report said.

The city of Liuyang has a long history of fireworks production.

The Guinness World Records said the first accurately documented firework, the Chinese firecracker, was attributed to Li Tian, a monk who lived near Liuyang during China’s Tang dynasty, dating to around 618 to 907 C.E.