The explosion took place at the Huasheng fireworks plant in central China's Hunan Province on Monday, May 4
Credit: Yang Huafeng/China News Service/VCG via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- At least 26 people have died and 61 others have been injured following an explosion at the Huasheng fireworks plant in China on Monday, May 4
- Authorities detained the plant owner and paused fireworks production in the region following the incident
- President Xi Jinping called for a full investigation and stricter safety measures to prevent future accidents
At least 26 people have died and 61 others have been injured following an explosion at a fireworks plant in China.
On Tuesday, May 5, China's official Xinhua news agency said that a blast took place at the Huasheng fireworks plant in the central Chinese city of Liuyang at around 4:43 p.m. local time on Monday, May 4.
“So far, the rescue is almost finished, and environmental indicators from real-time monitoring of air and water have been normal,” the release added.
Credit: Yang Huafeng/China News Service/VCG via Getty
In an update, the news agency said almost 500 rescuers in five teams responded to the incident, which took place around 1,000 miles south of the Chinese capital, Beijing.
The rescue response also included robots, drones and dogs, the BBC added.
In addition to an evacuation, rescue teams humidified the area to "prevent secondary accidents during the rescue," per the BBC.
The ages of injured range from people in their 20s to their 60s, the BBC cited the state broadcaster CCTV as reporting. Their wounds included broken bones sustained after being hit by debris, the BBC added.
Windows of residential buildings in the area were also left broken following the blast, according to the outlet, while white smoke was still seen in the area on Tuesday, NBC News reported, citing CCTV.
Facilities remained damaged and collapsed late on Monday, May 5, NBC added. Local authorities have also detained the owner of the company, NBC reported, citing the Xinhua news agency.
Credit: Yang Huafeng/China News Service/VCG via Getty
On Tuesday, May 5, President Xi Jinping urged an "all-out" effort to "search for people who are still unaccounted for and save the injured," on an X page created by the Chinese Communist Party.
"Authorities across regions and departments must draw profound lessons from the accident and reinforce responsibility for workplace safety," the post added.
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The incident follows a spate of similar explosions at firework factories in India.
On Tuesday, April 21, at least 13 people died at a firecracker manufacturing unit near the city of Thrissur, in Kerala state, reported the BBC and local media outlets The Hindu and The Times of India.
Multiple other people were left injured, with five of them reported to be in critical condition, per the BBC.
At least 25 people also died in an explosion at a firecracker factory in Tamil Nadu state, on Sunday, April 19, the BBC and The Independent reported.
The site was supposed to be closed, but between 50 and 100 people were on site at the time, officials said, per the outlets.
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