HONG KONG - A blast at a fireworks factory in China has killed at least 26 people and injured 61, flattening buildings and sending towering clouds of smoke into the sky, and prompting President Xi Jinping to order a thorough investigation, state media reported on Tuesday.

More than 1,500 firefighters, rescuers, medical personnel and police were deployed, together with 18 drones and several 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 at around 4:40 p.m. (0840 GMT) at Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company, according to reports by Xinhua and CCTV.

Social media footage showed smoke billowing up into clear blue skies against a backdrop of lush, green mountains. Reuters verified the location in the footage, which was posted on social media on May 4, as Changsha, the Hunan provincial capital which is responsible for the administration of Liuyang.

A Hunan Satellite TV reporter at the scene said the area had been razed to the ground, with trees uprooted by shock waves from the blasts, and there was a strong smell of gunpowder 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 last year, 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 FEELS 'EXTREMELY GUILTY'

Changsha government officials told a press 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."

Reuters could not find a telephone listing for Huasheng to seek comment.

The government said it would also carry out large‑scale safety inspections across all sectors to close any regulatory loopholes.

China's State Council set up an accident investigation team, CCTV reported in the evening, while Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing led staff to Liuyang on Tuesday to guide the emergency rescue and response work.

Xi called for a speedy investigation to determine the cause of the explosion and strict accountability for the incident, the report said.

Last year, China exported $1.14 billion worth of fireworks, more than two-thirds of global sales and far exceeding domestic sales, data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity showed.

According to a 2025 Xinhua report, Liuyang's fireworks industry was worth 50 billion yuan, with 431 companies producing fireworks and firecrackers. The city's fireworks production accounted for 60% of China's domestic market and 70% 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.

The Chinese president often issues "important instructions" to local officials after major accidents and disasters with fatalities. Last week, he urged a nationwide upgrade in China's disaster response capacity.

Xi also issued instructions after a fire tore through several residential towers in Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court complex in November killing 168 people.

(Reporting by Clare Jim, Jiaxing Li and Anne Marie Roantree in Hong Kong, Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Himani Sarkar, Neil Fullick and Kate Mayberry)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 5:43 AM.

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