An explosion at a fireworks manufacturing site in Liuyang, a city administered by Changsha in Hunan province, killed 21 people and injured 61, state media reported. The blast occurred on Monday at about 4:40 p.m. local time (0840 GMT), according to accounts published by CCTV and Xinhua.
Video circulated on social media showed large plumes of smoke rising into clear blue skies above green, mountainous terrain. Reuters verified that the footage posted on May 4 showed scenes in Changsha. A Xinhua video captured thick smoke drifting above a wide site strewn with collapsed structures and scattered debris.
State media identified the site as Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company. Reuters was unable to locate a telephone listing for the company to request comment. China Daily, a state-run paper, reported that the person in charge of the company has been detained and that authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.
Responders sent five rescue teams totaling nearly 500 personnel and deployed three rescue robots, using what Xinhua described as a "human - machine coordinated approach" to carry out grid-style searches of the area. The report noted that two black powder storage warehouses within the factory compound represented high-risk hazards.
Officials established a 1 km rescue area and a 3 km control zone around the site, and residents in danger zones were evacuated, Xinhua said. The scale of the emergency response reflected concerns about the presence of explosive materials on site and the potential for further hazards.
President Xi Jinping instructed authorities to carry out a speedy and thorough investigation to determine the cause of the explosion and to ensure strict accountability for those responsible, Xinhua reported. Xi also ordered officials to intensify risk screening and hazard control in key industries, enhance public safety measures and protect the safety of people's lives and property.
The reporting noted that Xi commonly issues important directions to local officials following major accidents with fatalities. Last week, he urged an upgrade in China's nationwide disaster response capacity. The article also referenced a prior instruction by Xi following a fatal residential fire in Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court complex in November, which resulted in 168 deaths.
The coverage included broader industry context, reporting that last year China exported $1.14 billion worth of fireworks, accounting for more than two-thirds of global sales according to data cited from the Observatory of Economic Complexity.
Authorities have begun investigations and detained the person in charge of the factory, and rescue operations remain focused on locating survivors and securing hazardous materials. At the time of reporting the exact cause of the blast had not been determined publicly.