CHANGSHA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A fireworks plant explosion on Monday in central China's Hunan Province has killed 37 people and left one missing, local authorities said on Friday.
The explosion happened at around 4:43 p.m. on Monday at the facility of Huasheng fireworks manufacturing and display company in Liuyang, a county-level city under Changsha, capital city of Hunan.
As of 12:00 p.m. on Friday, the accident had claimed 37 lives, left one person missing, and injured 51 others who are receiving medical treatment in hospitals. Five of the injured are in critical condition but have stable vital signs. Search and rescue operations at the scene have been largely completed.
After the accident, Changsha authorities promptly activated an emergency response, set up a task force, and dispatched over 1,500 personnel to carry out rescue and medical treatment operations. Subsequent rounds of thorough on-site searches and comprehensive checks confirmed that the accident resulted in 37 deaths and one missing person.
Police have summoned eight people on suspicion of negligence leading to the accident. ■
