A powerful explosion at a fireworks factory in China’s Hunan province has killed 21 people and injured 61 others, triggering mass evacuations and leaving nearby villagers shaken by the force of the blast. The incident occurred Monday afternoon at the Huasheng Fireworks plant in Liuyang, a city globally known as the world’s largest producer of fireworks.
Residents living just a kilometre from the factory told Beijing News that the shockwave hurled stones across roads, forcing villagers to take long detours. One woman described the devastation inside her home: shattered glass windows, warped aluminium frames and stainless‑steel doors twisted by the blast. Another resident said she fled the village entirely out of fear.
Authorities mobilised nearly 500 personnel for search‑and‑rescue operations, deploying robots to navigate unstable structures and locate those trapped. Emergency teams evacuated everyone within a 3km radius, while crews worked to humidify the area to reduce the risk of secondary explosions. Officials warned that two gunpowder warehouses inside the factory complex remained highly dangerous.
State media reported that police have taken “control measures” against the person responsible for the company as investigators work to determine what triggered the explosion. The ages of the injured range from their 20s to 60s, with many suffering bone fractures caused by flying debris.
The blast’s impact was so severe that windows in nearby residential buildings were blown out, according to a CCTV reporter broadcasting from the scene.
Deadly accidents at fireworks factories are not uncommon in China. In February, an explosion at a fireworks store in Hubei province killed 12 people. President Xi Jinping has called for full rescue efforts and a thorough investigation to hold those responsible accountable.
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