27th May 2023 – (Zangtun Township) At around 4pm yesterday, an explosion occurred at an illegal fireworks sale in Zangtun Township, Dacheng County, Hebei Province, China. Police officers from the Zangtun Police Station were on site to collect samples for identification purposes when the explosion happened.
According to a statement from the Dacheng County People’s Government website, the explosion involved 11 individuals. Nine have been rescued, with five currently receiving treatment and four showing no signs of life. Two people are still missing, and rescue efforts are ongoing.
The illegal sale and purchase of fireworks and firecrackers are strictly prohibited in China, but incidents like this continue to occur. The Chinese government has been cracking down on the production and sale of illegal fireworks and explosives in recent years, but enforcement remains a challenge due to the large number of illegal producers and sellers.