Death toll rises to 37 in China fireworks factory blast

Rescue operations at the factory site have now ended, Xinhua reports

Firefighters work to distinguish a fire following a blast at a fireworks manufacturing factory in Liuyang, Hunan province, China, May 5, 2026. Photo: Reuters

The death toll has risen to 37 from 26 after a fireworks factory explosion in the southern Chinese province of Hunan, state agency Xinhua reported Friday, adding that one person remains missing.

The explosion happened at around 4:40pm (0840 GMT) on Monday in Hunan's Liuyang, known as China's fireworks capital for its 60 percent share of the domestic market and about 70 percent of exports.

Xinhua said on-site research and rescue work has completed for now and 51 people are being treated at hospitals.