21 Killed, 61 Injured in Massive Fireworks Factory Blast in China’s Hunan

At least 21 people were killed and 61 others injured in a powerful explosion at a fireworks factory in Liuyang, authorities confirmed on Tuesday, as rescue teams continued search operations and an investigation was launched into the cause of the incident.

The blast occurred on Monday afternoon at a facility operated by a local fireworks manufacturing company in the county-level city, which falls under the administration of Changsha, the provincial capital . The explosion caused widespread destruction, with videos circulating on Chinese social media showing plumes of smoke and damage stretching across several kilometres.

According to officials, more than 480 rescue personnel , organised into five teams, were deployed to the site. Rescue robots were also pressed into service due to the hazardous conditions. Emergency responders evacuated nearby residents and established a buffer zone, as the factory was located close to black powder storage warehouses, raising concerns over potential secondary explosions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for all-out efforts to locate the missing and treat the injured. He also urged a thorough investigation into the accident to ensure accountability for those responsible, state media reported.

The injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals, while a second round of search operations is currently underway. Authorities have detained the person in charge of the company as part of the ongoing probe, with experts from the Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched to guide rescue and investigation efforts.

Local authorities said they are closely monitoring air and water quality in the surrounding area, adding that environmental indicators remain within normal limits so far.

Residents in the vicinity described the scale of the devastation. A villager living about one kilometre from the factory told Beijing News that roads had been blocked by debris, forcing locals to take detours. “The glass windows in our homes were shattered, aluminium window frames were deformed, and even the stainless-steel doors were twisted out of shape,” she said. Another resident reported leaving the village out of fear following the explosion.

Liuyang is widely regarded as the world’s largest producer of fireworks, supplying both domestic and international markets. However, such incidents are not uncommon in China’s fireworks industry, where handling of highly flammable materials poses significant safety risks.

In a similar incident earlier this year, at least 12 people were killed in an explosion at a fireworks store in Hubei province in February, underscoring ongoing concerns over industrial safety standards in the sector.

Authorities are continuing rescue operations and investigations to determine the exact cause of the latest explosion.