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An explosion in a fireworks factory in central China has claimed 26 lives and left 61 others injured.
Chinese broadcaster CCTV said the explosion occurred at around 4:43 pm on Monday at the Liuyang Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company in Liuyang, Hunan province.
Videos seen on social media from Monday showed continuous explosions, accompanied by a large cloud of smoke rising high into the air, in a rural area surrounded by mountains.
Drone footage from CCTV taken on Tuesday showed debris where buildings had stood, with rescue workers and excavators scouring the rubble for survivors.
Fumes of smoke continued to rise from some buildings left standing, many of them with their roofs blown off.
Fireworks factories in Hunan’s provincial capital Changsha, which administers Liuyang, were ordered to stop production ahead of safety inspections following the explosion.
Changsha mayor Chen Bozhang told a news conference on Tuesday that the death toll had increased to five people since earlier reports that 21 were killed in the blast.
CCTV added that the police had apprehended the company’s management while investigations into the cause of the accident continue.
Liuyang, a major fireworks hub, produces around 60% of the fireworks sold in China and 70% of those exported. According to AFP, industrial accidents are common in China due to lax safety standards.
In February 2026, separate explosions at fireworks shops in Hubei and Jiangsu provinces killed 12 and eight people respectively.
