Explosion at Chinese Firecracker Factory Kills 26, Injures 61

by Lee Jieun

Published 05 May.2026 16:52(KST)

An explosion at a firecracker manufacturing factory in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, has left 26 people dead and more than 60 injured, according to reports.

According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency on May 5 (local time), the explosion occurred at around 4:43 p.m. the previous day at a firecracker manufacturing facility located in Liuyang, Changsha City.

Firefighters are conducting fire suppression efforts on the second day of the explosion accident at a fireworks manufacturing factory in Liuyang, Changsha, Hunan Province, China, on the 5th (local time). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Immediately after the accident, authorities initially reported 3 deaths and 25 injuries, but as rescue operations progressed, the number of casualties rose sharply. At a press conference on the afternoon of May 5, officials announced that the death toll had increased to 26, with 61 people injured.

The injured have been transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. Authorities have completed searching the site and confirming the number of people involved, and are now following additional procedures to determine if there are further casualties. A rescue command center has been set up at the scene, with large-scale rescue teams deployed and a second round of thorough searches underway.

In response to the accident, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered that search efforts for the missing be expedited, that all possible resources be devoted to the treatment of the injured, and that the cause of the incident be quickly identified. He also instructed that those responsible be held accountable. Chinese Premier Li Qiang also called for a thorough assessment of casualties and rigorous follow-up measures.

Liuyang, where the accident occurred, is one of China's largest firecracker production regions and is known to employ as many as 300,000 people in the related industry.