More than 1500 firefighters, rescuers, medical personnel and police were deployed, together with drones and three robots, to search for survivors and control on-site hazards after the explosion on Monday at a factory compound in Liuyang, the city in central Hunan province known as China's fireworks capital.
Authorities evacuated surrounding areas because of the risk from highly combustible black powder stored in two warehouses in the complex, Xinhua reported.
The explosion happened in the afternoon at Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company, according to reports by state media Xinhua and CCTV.
Reuters verified the location in the footage, which was posted on social media on May 4, as Changsha, the Hunan provincial capital that is responsible for the administration of Liuyang.
A Hunan Satellite TV reporter at the scene said the area had been razed, with trees uprooted by shock waves from the blasts, and a strong smell of gunpowder was in the air.
Xinhua video showed thick clouds of black and grey smoke rising from a large site littered with collapsed buildings and debris.
China is no stranger to fireworks and industrial accidents.
In June 2025, an explosion at a fireworks factory also in Hunan province killed nine people and injured 26.
Weeks before an explosion at a chemical plant in northeastern China killed at least five people, highlighting the risks associated with storing hazardous and flammable materials in factories or warehouses.
Changsha government officials told a media conference on Tuesday that on-site searches had been largely completed.
The person in charge of Huasheng had been detained and the cause of the accident was being investigated, the government said, adding all fireworks and firecracker manufacturing companies in the city had been ordered to suspend production from Monday evening for inspections.
"The (Changsha) government expresses its condolences to all the victims, and sincerely apologise to all the families of the victims, the injured and other affected people, and the whole society," said Chen Bozhang, deputy secretary of the Changsha Municipal Party Committee and the city's mayor.
"We feel extremely sad and extremely guilty."
The government said it would also carry out large-scale safety inspections across all sectors to close any regulatory loopholes.
Xi called for a speedy investigation to determine the cause of the explosion and strict accountability for the incident, Xinhua reported.
According to a 2025 Xinhua report, Liuyang's fireworks industry accounted for 60 per cent of China's domestic market and 70 per cent of China's firework exports.
Xi also ordered authorities to strengthen risk screening and hazard control in key industries, enhance public safety and ensure the safety of people's lives and property.
With AP
