China Fireworks Factory Blast Kills 21, Injures 61 in Hunan Province

A blast at Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company in Liuyang, Hunan province killed 21 people and injured 61 on May 4, 2026 at around 4:40 pm local time. President Xi Jinping called for a speedy investigation and strict accountability, and the company's person in charge has been detained. Liuyang is a hub for China's fireworks industry, which exported $1.14 billion worth of fireworks in 2025, representing over two-thirds of global sales.

Fireworks factory explosion

• ▪Two black powder storage warehouses within the Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company factory compound posed high-risk hazards
• ▪The fireworks factory explosion in Liuyang, Hunan province injured 61 people
• ▪Liuyang is under the administration of Changsha, the capital city of Hunan province
• ▪The explosion at the Liuyang fireworks factory occurred on May 4, 2026 at around 4:40 pm local time (0840 GMT)
• ▪A blast at a fireworks factory in Liuyang, Hunan province, China killed 21 people on May 4, 2026
• ▪The blast at the Liuyang fireworks factory happened at Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company

Emergency rescue operations

• ▪Three rescue robots were deployed at the Liuyang fireworks factory explosion site
• ▪Authorities established a 1 km rescue area around the Liuyang fireworks factory explosion site
• ▪Five rescue teams of nearly 500 personnel were dispatched to the Liuyang fireworks factory explosion scene
• ▪Authorities evacuated residents from danger zones around the Liuyang fireworks factory explosion site
• ▪Rescue teams at the Liuyang fireworks factory explosion adopted a human machine coordinated approach to conduct grid-style searches

Criminal investigation

• ▪The person in charge of Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company has been detained following the May 4, 2026 explosion
• ▪The cause of the Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company explosion was being investigated as of May 5, 2026
• ▪President Xi Jinping called for strict accountability for the Liuyang fireworks factory explosion incident
• ▪President Xi Jinping called for a speedy investigation to determine the cause of the Liuyang fireworks factory explosion

China's fireworks industry

• ▪China exported $1.14 billion worth of fireworks in 2025
• ▪China's 2025 fireworks exports represented more than two-thirds of global sales

Xi Jinping safety directives

• ▪President Xi Jinping ordered authorities to enhance public safety following the Liuyang fireworks factory explosion
• ▪President Xi Jinping ordered authorities to strengthen risk screening and hazard control in key industries following the Liuyang fireworks factory explosion
• ▪President Xi Jinping urged a nationwide upgrade in China's disaster response capacity in late April 2026