A massive explosion tore through a fireworks store in the central Chinese province of Hubei on Wednesday afternoon, killing at least 12 people.
It was the second deadly fireworks blast of the Lunar New Year holiday, following an explosion in Lianyungang on Sunday that killed 8 people.
The fearsome explosion in Lianyungang, located in Jiangsu province, was seen across China as a tragic warning about handling fireworks improperly. It was reportedly caused by someone setting off fireworks in a careless manner too close to a store where a huge quantity of explosives was stored.
The national Ministry of Emergency Management issued a statement on Monday calling on the entire country to learn from the “Jiangsu blast” and supervise fireworks more carefully. The ministry specifically warned against detonating firecrackers close to fireworks shops.
The even more lethal explosion in Hubei two days later was therefore shocking and heartbreaking. The blast occurred at a fireworks shop in the city of Xiangyang, and was powerful enough to start a fire covering about 50 square meters that took over an hour to extinguish.
Chinese officials have released few details about either the Jiangsu or Hubei fires, and have not named any persons who were investigated or arrested in connection with the blasts.
