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12 killed in China’s second deadly Lunar New Year firework explosion

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Victoria BelaFebruary 18, 2026 at 01:15 PM
12 killed in China’s second deadly Lunar New Year firework explosion
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On Wednesday, an explosion at a firework shop in Zhengji township, Xiangyang, Hubei province, China, killed twelve people. The incident occurred around 2:30 pm on the second day of the Lunar New Year, and the resulting fire was extinguished within an hour. This follows a similar explosion on Sunday in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, which killed eight and injured two due to improper handling of fireworks. Authorities have detained individuals related to the first incident as investigations continue. Fireworks are traditionally used during the Lunar New Year to welcome prosperity and ward off evil spirits.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context
Xinhua 50% Zhengji township 60% Xiangyang 60% Lianyungang 60% Jiangsu province 70% Hubei 70% Lunar New Year ×280% China ×290%

Keywords

firework explosion 100% lunar new year 90% fireworks 80% china 70% accident 60% deaths 50% investigation 50% improper handling 40%

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Very Negative
Score: -0.70

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Source
South China Morning Post
Classification Confidence
85%
Geographic Perspective
China

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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firework explosionlunar new yearfireworkschinaaccidentdeathsinvestigationimproper handling
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