Fireworks shop explosion kills 12 people amid Lunar New Year celebrations

Fireworks is a deeply ingrained tradition in China's Lunar New Year celebrations

A deadly fireworks shop explosion in China's Hubei province has claimed the lives of 12 people, marking the second such incident during the ongoing Lunar New Year festivities.

Emergency services successfully extinguished the resulting blaze at the Xiangyang shop on Wednesday afternoon, according to state media.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the blast, though further details were not immediately available.

The use of fireworks is a deeply ingrained tradition in China's Lunar New Year celebrations, yet it frequently leads to tragic accidents.

Just days prior, on Sunday, eight people died and two were injured in a separate fireworks shop explosion in eastern Jiangsu province, reportedly caused by a resident igniting fireworks nearby.

In response to the recurring dangers, the central government issued a warning on Tuesday, with the Ministry of Emergency Management stating that "fireworks are still the biggest risks during the Spring Festival period."

A man performs molten iron fireworks in a park in Beijing on 15 February, 2026 ahead of the Lunar New Year of the Horse (AFP via Getty Images)

Explosions related to pyrotechnics are not uncommon in China, where firecrackers are widely used and often indiscriminately deployed during celebratory occasions such as the Lunar New Year holiday, which began on Tuesday.

In June, a blast at a fireworks factory in neighbouring Hunan killed nine people and injured 26 others.

Some cities in China have banned fireworks out of concerns over safety and air pollution, but the measures are controversial as firecrackers, traditionally used to scare off evil spirits, remain central to Lunar New Year celebrations.

They may make a comeback in some places after some governments eased their bans last year.

Some cities in China have banned fireworks out of concerns over safety and air pollution, but the measures are controversial as firecrackers, traditionally used to scare off evil spirits, remain central to Lunar New Year celebrations. (Associated Press)

Last year, a deadly fireworks explosion rocked São Paulo in Brazil on Thursday, 13 November.

The blast ripped through homes after a warehouse storing fireworks blew up in the Tatuape district of the city, killing one person. Ten people were taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Footage shows the moment of the explosion next to Salim Farah Maluf Avenue, before lit fireworks shower the road.

The explosion shattered windows and damaged parked cars, leaving debris strewn across the street.