The death toll from Monday’s explosion at a fireworks factory in Liuyang has reached 37, local authorities said on Friday. One person is still missing. Another 51 are in hospital.
The blast hit at 4:43 pm at Liuyang Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co, in Guandu township. Liuyang is a county-level city in Changsha, in Central China’s Hunan province.
By noon on Friday, search and rescue work was over. Of the injured still being treated, five are in serious condition, though their vital signs are stable.
The response
Changsha’s government moved quickly, activating emergency procedures and setting up a task force. More than 1,500 personnel were sent in for rescue, emergency response and medical care.
Finding the missing took more than a sweep of the wreckage. Investigators ran several rounds of on-site searches and checked the company’s employment records, access control logs, video footage and interview records. They also used personnel identification and DNA comparisons.
Police have summoned eight people on suspicion of causing a major accident through liability. Treatment of the injured, aftercare, the search for the cause and safety inspections are all moving forward in an orderly way, authorities said.
Sources
- Death toll rises to 37 in Liuyang fireworks plant explosion
- Death toll rises to 37 in Liuyang fireworks plant explosion
Sources
- Death toll rises to 37 in Liuyang fireworks plant… – Chinadaily.com.cn
- Death toll climbs to 37 in central China fireworks plant blast
