12 killed as explosion rips through fireworks factory in China
Thirty-eight people injured and two still missing; cause of blast still unclear
PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 23 September, 2014, 11:19am
UPDATED : Tuesday, 23 September, 2014, 11:20am
Associated Press in Beijing
A cellphone photo shows the mushroom cloud after an explosion at the fireworks plant in Baofeng Village, Liling city, Hunan. Photo: Xinhua
An explosion at a fireworks factory in southern China killed 12 people and injured 33 others, the local government said on Tuesday.
Two people were also missing following Monday’s blast, which shook Nanyang Export Fireworks Factory, the city of Liling in Hunan province said.
It revised the injured toll down from 38 because it said five people who had been transferred between hospitals were counted twice.
It did not say what caused the explosion but said it was a work safety incident. The factory is properly licensed, it said.
Workplace accidents are common in China because of lax enforcement of safety regulations, although safety standards are improving.
People watch a daytime colour-smoke explosive show in Shanghai. China is the world's largest producer of fireworks. Photo: Reuters
In June last year, an explosion at a lightning and fireworks plant in Fuzhou, Jiangxi province, left at least three dead and 45 injured. Most of the injuries were caused by the shockwave or flying bricks and glass.
City officials said the blast occurred when lightning struck the plant's chemical warehouse.
And last February, a cargo truck carrying fireworks exploded on a highway bridge in Henan, killing at least nine people and causing an 80-metre section of the bridge to collapse, sending the truck and 10 cars plummeting 30 metres into a dry river. At least 11 people were injured.
China is the world’s largest producer of fireworks, which are widely used to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The festival falls in February next year.
