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

May 5, 2026

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.