Explosion at fireworks factory in China kills at least 26

An explosion at a fireworks plant in a central Chinese province has killed at least 26 people and injured 61, prompting the halting of all firework manufacturing near the site.The blast occurred in the city of Changsha, in Hunan province, on Monday afternoon, China’s official news agency Xinhua said. China Daily said the plant was operated by the Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co in the Changsha-administered, county-level city of Liuyang.Changsha’s mayor, Chen Bozhang, said at a media briefing that a search and rescue operation had largely been completed and verification of the casualties and identification of the victims was under way.Chen said the local government expressed condolences for the victims and apologised to society, including the families and injured people. “We feel extremely pained and deeply remorseful,” he said.The blast occurred on Monday just before 5pm, according to reports by CCTV and Xinhua. Photograph: cnsphoto/ReutersThe Changsha emergency management bureau’s party secretary, Ding Weiming, said a large number of products caught fire, causing continuous blasts. Large quantities of gunpowder stored in the warehouse area threatened the safety of rescue teams, and people were trapped and routes blocked by collapsed walls, columns and the roof in the factory area.All fireworks and firecracker manufacturers in Liuyang had been ordered to halt production, local media reported.Aerial footage from the state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday showed white smoke billowing from areas of the site.Hundreds of rescuers were deployed and residents in danger zones were evacuated, the Xinhua report said.It said authorities were investigating the cause of the blast and police had detained the person in charge of the company.China’s president, Xi Jinping, urged “all-out efforts” to search for people who were still unaccounted for and to save the injured. He called on authorities to investigate the cause swiftly and pursue accountability, Xinhua reported.In February, around the lunar new year period, China reported two deadly explosions at fireworks shops.