Blast at fireworks workshop in southern China kills 4

Blast at fireworks workshop in southern China kills 4

2011-11-24 01:42:19 GMT+7 (ICT)

NANNING, CHINA (BNO NEWS) -- At least four people were killed on early Wednesday afternoon when an explosion rocked a private fireworks workshop in southern China, local authorities said. Several others were injured.

The blast happened at around 1.08 p.m. local time in Gongguan township in the autonomous region of Guangxi Zhuang. The workshop was located in a residential house which was completely destroyed by the large explosion, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Local authorities said at least four people were killed while eleven others were rescued and transported to a nearby hospital. The cause of the accident was not immediately known, Xinhua said, adding that rescue work was still ongoing. It did not say if anyone is still missing.

Major accidents involving fireworks are rare but occur more frequently towards the end of the Gregorian calendar's year when demand for fireworks is high. Many of these accidents happen in China as it is the world's largest manufacturer and exporter of fireworks.

In late September, three people were killed and two others were injured when an explosion destroyed a fireworks factory in the Yuzhou district of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

And earlier this year, on January 13, as the traditional Chinese New Year's holiday approached, nine people were killed and four others were injured when a large explosion ripped through a fireworks workshop in northwest China. Police said the firecrackers were being illegally made.

A month earlier, on December 17, fourteen people were killed when a truck carrying fireworks fuses hit a power pole in central China, causing sparks from fallen cables to ignite the fuses. A large explosion as a result destroyed the truck and several houses nearby.

The deadly accident in December came just several days after eight people were killed on December 12 when a room filled with fireworks exploded in a busy street in eastern China. The Chinese government in response pledged to investigate and crack down on the illegal production of fireworks.

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