Eight Dead in Fireworks Shop Blast at Start of China’s Lunar New Year
February 16, 2026
Eight people died in a fireworks shop explosion on Sunday in Dongan village, Donghai county, Jiangsu province, eastern China. The blast happened after a villager "improperly set off fireworks near the store," the Ministry of Emergency Management said. Two others had minor burns. Authorities from emergency, fire, public security, and health departments arrived at the scene. The ministry held an emergency meeting and stated that all areas must strengthen control over fireworks production, transport, sales, and use. "[Officials must] resolutely prevent similar incidents from recurring," said Vice-Minister Xu Jiaai, who led the meeting. Those responsible have been detained and investigations are ongoing. The ministry called for thorough safety risk assessments by all regions and fireworks businesses during the Lunar New Year holiday.
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Tags:
Fireworks
Explosion
Jiangsu
Lunar New Year
Fire safety
China
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