China fireworks factory explosion kills at least 21 people, injures over 60 others

A fireworks factory explosion in China’s central province of Hunan has killed at least 21 people and injured 61 others, according to state media reports. The blast happened at around 4.40pm on May 4, 2026, in a workshop at the Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company. The factory is in Liuyang, a county-level city famous for fireworks production. The incident came less than three months after a store selling firecrackers exploded and caught fire in neighbouring Hubei province, killing 12 people.