China Explosion: Deadly Blast at Huasheng Fireworks Plant in Changsha Leaves 26 Dead, 61 Injured; Manufacturing Stopped (Watch Videos)
An explosion at a fireworks plant in a central Chinese province killed at least 26 people and injured 61 others, state media reported Tuesday, prompting the halting of all firework manufacturing near the site. The blast occurred at a fireworks plant in the city of Changsha city in Hunan province on Monday afternoon, China's official news agency Xinhua said.
BEIJING (AP): An explosion at a fireworks plant in a central Chinese province killed at least 26 people and injured 61 others, state media reported Tuesday, prompting the halting of all firework manufacturing near the site. The blast occurred at a fireworks plant in the city of Changsha city in Hunan province on Monday afternoon, China's official news agency Xinhua said. State media China Daily said that the plant was operated by the Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co. in the Changsha-administered, county-level city of Liuyang, a prominent fireworks powerhouse in the country.
Changsha mayor Chen Bozhang said at a media briefing that a search and rescue operation at the scene largedly has been completed, but verification of the casualties and identification of the victims was still underway. Chen said that the local government expressed condolences for the victims and apologized to society, including the families and injured people. "We feel extremely pained and deeply remorseful," he said. China Explosion: Fireworks Factory Blast in Changsha Kills 21, Injures 61; Evacuations Ordered Over Black Powder Risk (Watch Video).
Ding Weiming, the Changsha Emergency Management Bureau's party secretary, said that the site had a large amount of products or semifinished products catching fire, causing continuous, sporadic blasts. Large quantities of gunpowder stored in the warehouse area also threatened the safety of rescue teams, while the collapse of walls, columns and the roof in the factory area created ruins, with people trapped and routes blocked, he said. All fireworks and firecracker manufacturers in Liuyang have been ordered to halt production, local media reported said.
Aerial footage from state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday showed white smoke billowing in certain areas of the site, with facilities collapsed or damaged. Hundreds of rescuers were deployed to the scene and residents in danger zones were evacuated by authorities, citing high risks from two black powder warehouses near the explosion site, the Xinhua report said. Authorities were investigating the cause of the blast and police have detained the person in charge of the company, Xinhua said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "all-out efforts" to search for people who are still unaccounted for and to save the injured. He called on authorities to investigate the cause swiftly and pursue serious accountability, the report said. Xi also ordered effective risk screening and hazard control in key industries and the strengthening of public safety management. To prevent other accidents during the operation, rescuers adopted measures such as spraying and humidification to eliminate potential hazards. They also deployed several robots to help with the search and rescue operation. China: Multiple Casualties Feared After Explosion Rocks Fireworks Factory in Hunan Province, Video Surfaces.
Deadly Fireworks Factory Blast in Changsha
21 people were killed and 61 others injured in an explosion at a fireworks plant in central China. The explosion occurred at around 4:40 p.m. Monday at the plant in Liuyang, a county-level city under Changsha, capital city of Hunan Province. pic.twitter.com/jkzLnezSQ2
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) May 5, 2026
🚨🇨🇳 21 people are dead and 61 injured after an explosion at a fireworks factory in Changsha, China.
Nearly 500 firefighters, rescuers, and medical personnel are on the scene. Xi Jinping has ordered a full investigation.
Residents in nearby neighborhoods were evacuated due to 2… pic.twitter.com/NDyirFEcOY
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 5, 2026
An explosion occurred today at Huasheng Fireworks in Liuyang, Hunan, China.
3 fatalities and 25 injuries, with 2 people in serious condition. Emergency teams remain on-site as rescue operations continue. pic.twitter.com/wFbO1yp1At
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) May 4, 2026
Liuyang has a long history of fireworks production. The Guinness World Records organization said that the first accurately documented firework, the Chinese firecracker, was attributed to Li Tian, a monk who lived near Liuyang during China's Tang dynasty dating to around 618 to 907 C.E. Li discovered that putting gunpowder in enclosed hollow bamboo stems created loud explosions and bound crackers together to create the traditional new year firecrackers to drive out evil spirits, Guinness said. In February, China reported two deadly explosions at fireworks shops around the Lunar New Year period.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 05, 2026 12:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
