AN EXPLOSION at a fireworks plant in central China killed at least 26 people and injured 61 others, triggering an immediate halt to production in the surrounding area.

The blast struck a factory in Changsha, Hunan province, on Monday afternoon, state news agency Xinhua reported today.

State media China Daily said that the plant was operated by the Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co in the Changsha-administered, county-level city of Liuyang, a prominent fireworks powerhouse in the country.

Changsha mayor Chen Bozhang said search and rescue efforts were largely complete, though work to verify casualties and identify victims was ongoing.

He said that the local government expressed condolences for the victims and apologised to society, including the families and injured people.

“We feel extremely pained and deeply remorseful,” he said.

Officials said the explosion sparked fires among large quantities of finished and semi-finished products, leading to repeated smaller blasts.

Ding Weiming, from the city’s emergency management bureau, said stored gunpowder and structural collapse created dangerous conditions, trapping workers and blocking rescue routes.

Hundreds of emergency responders were deployed, with residents evacuated due to risks posed by nearby black powder warehouses.

State broadcaster CCTV showed white smoke rising from the site, with buildings heavily damaged.

The force of the blast shattered windows in nearby residential buildings.

Those injured ranged in age from their twenties to sixties, with some suffering injuries caused by flying debris.

Authorities said production at all fireworks factories in Liuyang had been suspended following the incident.

Police have detained the person in charge of the company as investigations into the cause continue.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “all-out efforts” to locate missing people and treat the injured and ordered a swift investigation with “serious accountability.”

Rescue teams used measures including spraying and humidification to reduce risks, alongside deploying robots to assist operations.

Environmental monitoring of air and water quality in the surrounding area has so far shown normal readings, local authorities said.

Liuyang has a long association with fireworks manufacturing, dating back centuries.

The incident follows two other deadly explosions at fireworks shops reported in China earlier this year around the Lunar New Year period.