Beijing, June 27: Nine people died and one was seriously injured in an explosion at a fireworks factory in southern China, officials said today. The blast yesterday afternoon virtually destroyed the licensed factory and shattered windows in houses near the scene, a public security bureau officer surnamed Zhang said. Nearby areas were evacuated and all fireworks factories in Liling city, Hunan province, were shut pending safety inspections. China is the world's biggest producer of fireworks, with people in rural areas often illegally producing them in their homes under unsafe conditions.

Bureau Report