Explosion at a fireworks plant in China kills at least 21 people, injures dozens more: report

An explosion at a fireworks factory in a central Chinese province killed at least 21 people and injured 61 others, according to state media.

The blast happened at a fireworks plant in Liuyang, a city administered by Changsha in Hunan province, on Monday afternoon, China’s official news agency Xinhua reported.

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Aerial footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed white smoke still billowing on Tuesday in parts of the area, with facilities collapsed or damaged and debris scattered around.

Nearly 500 firefighters, rescuers and medical personnel responded to the scene, according to the South China Morning Post.

People in danger zones were evacuated because of what authorities described as high risks posed by two black powder warehouses at the site.

Xi often issues "important instructions" to local officials after deadly accidents and disasters, according to reports.

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Authorities launched an investigation into the cause of the blast, and unspecified "control measures" were taken against those in charge of the company.

In an effort to avoid additional accidents during the search for survivors, rescuers adopted measures such as spraying and humidification to eliminate potential hazards.

Robots were also used to assist with the search and rescue operation.