At least 21 workers were killed and 61 others injured in an explosion in a fireworks manufacturing factory in China's Guandu Township on Monday. May 4. The explosion occurred at around 4:40 pm at the plant in Liuyang, a county-level city under Changsha, the capital city of Hunan Province, according to Xinhua News.
The incident took place at Liuyang Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co, a fireworks plant located at Guandu township. 500 personnel, along with firefighters and emergency crews, are at the site and conducting a search and rescue operation, while robots were used to help find those trapped within the building, according to the BBC.
Video of Factory Blast
As of 7 pm, the blast claimed the lives of 21 people and injured over 60. Police have taken "control measures" against the person in charge of the manufacturing plant, according to Chinese state media. As per Chinese authorities, two gunpowder warehouses within the factory area posed a high risk amid rescue efforts.
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As per a BBC report, rescue teams had to evacuate an area within a 3 km radius of the fireworks plant. They also implemented measures like humidifying the area to "prevent secondary accidents during the rescue". The impact of the blast was so intense that the window panes of a nearby residential building were also shattered.
Visuals From Factory Site
President Xi Jinping has urged all-out efforts to search for people who are still unaccounted for and save the injured. Xi also called for an investigation into the accident to hold those responsible to account, state media reported.