Authorities in China say the death toll from a fireworks factory blast in Liuyang, a city in southern Hunan province, has risen to 37. State media reported that one person remains missing and that 51 people are receiving medical treatment in hospitals following the explosion.
The incident took place at approximately 4:40 p.m. local time (0840 GMT) on Monday in Liuyang, a manufacturing center noted in state accounts for producing roughly 60% of China’s domestic fireworks supply and about 70% of its exports.
On-site research and rescue operations have been completed, according to the reports. Law enforcement has opened a formal inquiry into the circumstances of the blast. As part of that process, police have summoned eight people for questioning on suspicion of causing the deadly explosion. The investigation is being conducted under the supervision of China’s top prosecutorial authorities.
In response to the accident, Hunan provincial authorities have ordered a suspension of operations at all fireworks plants within the city while safety inspections are carried out. State reports did not provide a timeline for how long the suspensions or inspections will last.
Officials noted that this is the deadliest industrial blast reported in the country since 2019. The report also recalled that an earlier explosion at a fireworks facility in the same province in June resulted in nine fatalities. Additionally, state accounts referenced a 2019 chemical plant blast in Jiangsu province that killed 78 people.
Investigators and prosecutors are continuing their work while hospitals treat dozens of injured people. Local authorities have completed the immediate rescue efforts at the scene, and follow-up investigative steps are under way as the supervised probe seeks to determine responsibility for the explosion.
The measures taken by provincial officials include the city-wide suspension of fireworks plant operations for safety reviews and the questioning of persons of interest by police as the legal investigation proceeds under higher prosecutorial oversight.
As the probe continues, officials have not released additional details about the cause of the blast or the identities of the victims. State accounts provided the casualty figures, the number of people under medical care, and the actions taken by law enforcement and provincial regulators.