Safety violations blamed for deadly Hunan fireworks blast

A fireworks factory explosion that killed nine people and injured 26 others in Hunan province last year was caused by serious safety violations and regulatory failures, according to an official investigation report released on Thursday.

The blast occurred at about 8:23 am on June 16, 2025, at Hunan Shanzhou Fireworks Co in Linli county, Changde city. It caused direct economic losses of more than 23.19 million yuan ($3.46 million), according to the report released by an investigation team of the Hunan provincial government.

Investigators found that the explosion was triggered when an electric tricycle illegally transporting pyrotechnic stars overturned. The report classified the incident as a relatively serious production safety accident involving failures in responsibility.

The company was found to have rushed production schedules, allowed workers to carry out unsafe operations, subcontracted and transferred production, and committed violations involving excessive production scope, staffing and explosive-material loads, as well as unauthorized changes to the use of workshops, the report said.

In addition, an intermediary safety agency also issued a false safety assessment report, while relevant local governments and regulatory departments failed to fully perform their work-safety responsibilities and exercise effective supervision.

Following the explosion, 11 individuals responsible for the incident had been subjected to compulsory measures by judicial authorities.

The Hunan Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision established a team to investigate accountability for officials who had failed to properly perform their duties.

Thirty-two public officials of local government had been held strictly accountable for the incident, according to the report.