Three people were confirmed dead and about 60 more injured after explosions swept a rural fireworks plant in east China's Jiangxi Province early on Wednesday, according to local authorities.
Several blasts ripped through a workshop of Hongsheng fireworks factory in Kunshan village, Guangfeng district, Shangrao city starting at around 0:30 a.m. Wednesday.
The blasts damaged some nearby houses and were heard across the district. More than 1,000 residents were evacuated out of safety concerns.
Yan Xiangao, vice head of Guangfeng District, said it is lucky that the factory is far from residential areas, and that most workers were not at the factory at the time of the blasts.
The cause of the blasts is still under investigation.
The plant has a production permit. The executives of the plant are now in police custody.
Guangfeng boasts a history of more than 300 years in fireworks production.
The local rescue headquarters will help those whose homes were damaged during the upcoming freezing cold weather. Jiangxi is forecast to see the coldest weather since 1992 between Jan. 23 and 26, with temperatures in mountainous areas forecast to plunge to minus 13 degrees Celsius.
