1 dead, 6 missing in central China fireworks factory explosion

An explosion at a fireworks factory in central China's Hunan Province on Monday had left one person dead, six missing and nine injured as of 5pm, local authorities said.

The explosion occurred at Shanzhou Fireworks Co. in Linli County under Changde City at approximately 8:23am on Monday, the county Party committee's publicity department said, adding that all the injured are receiving medical treatment, with non-life-threatening conditions.

The blast site is a single-story reinforced concrete structure. Established in July 2017, the factory employs over 150 people, most of whom were outside the explosion zone when the accident occurred.

Immediately following the accident, emergency teams at various levels were mobilized to the scene. Rescue efforts remain focused on locating the missing, treating the injured, evacuating nearby residents, and investigating the cause of the accident.