China fireworks factory blast death toll rises to 37 in Hunan
The death toll in Liuyang climbed to 37, and one person was still missing as China ordered an inquiry into the fireworks blast.
The blast that tore through a fireworks plant in Liuyang has become China’s deadliest industrial explosion since 2019, with the death toll rising to 37 after the initial count of 26. One person remained missing and 51 others were still being treated in hospitals, a grim reminder of how quickly a single accident can overwhelm a city built around one of China’s most hazardous industries.
The explosion hit Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co. in Guandu town, Liuyang, at about 4:40 p.m. on May 4. Rescue teams were forced to work amid black powder and other flammable materials, and nearby residents were evacuated as emergency crews cleared the site. Authorities said rescue work and the on-site investigation had been completed, but the investigation now carries clear political weight after Xi Jinping called for accountability and ordered those responsible to be held to account.
Liuyang is not an ordinary industrial center. The city produces about 60% of China’s domestic fireworks supply and roughly 70% of its exports, making it central to a trade that brings jobs and revenue even as it carries constant danger. In response to the explosion, the Liuyang municipal government suspended all fireworks production factories in the city for safety inspections. Police also summoned eight people for questioning on suspicion of causing the deadly blast, while the case was placed under the supervision of Chinese top prosecutors.
The tragedy has revived the same questions that follow almost every major industrial disaster in China: whether crackdowns produce lasting change or only another cycle of inspection orders and official pledges. A fireworks factory explosion in Hunan in June 2025 killed nine people, and the benchmark for comparison remains the 2019 chemical plant blast in Jiangsu that killed 78. Against that backdrop, the latest death toll in Liuyang points to a sector that remains economically important, tightly clustered in rural industrial zones, and vulnerable to catastrophic failure whenever safety enforcement slips.
Know something we missed? Have a correction or additional information?
Submit a Tip
