Hunan fireworks plant blast kills at least 21, injures 61, state media says

At least 21 people were killed and 61 injured when an explosion ripped through a fireworks plant in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, on Monday afternoon, China’s official news agency Xinhua reported Tuesday. Xinhua said nearly 500 rescuers were deployed to the site.

Authorities evacuated people in nearby danger zones because of high risks from two black powder warehouses at the facility. The cause of the blast is under investigation. According to the report, authorities had taken “control measures” against those in charge of the company, without specifying what those measures entailed.

To reduce risks during the operation, rescuers used spraying and humidification to eliminate potential hazards and deployed three robots to aid in the search and rescue, Xinhua said. In February, China reported two deadly explosions at fireworks shops around the Lunar New Year period.