File photo of the blast site
Beijing, China: Department of Emergency Management of Hunan Province in China has decided to immediately suspend production at all fireworks factories in the province to conduct a comprehensive safety overhaul aimed at eliminating potential safety hazards.
The repair operation came in the aftermath of an explosion on Monday at a fireworks factory in the city of Liuyang, a county-level city under Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, which resulted in 26 deaths and 61 injuries.
Luoyang, a major fireworks manufacturing hub in China, is home to more than 400 fireworks companies whose annual output was projected to exceed 50 billion yuan (about USD 7.29 billion) in 2025.
The city's fireworks account for about 70 percent of China's total fireworks exports.
