• An explosion at a fireworks shop in Hubei, China, killed 12 people on February 18.
• This incident is one of two recent firework-related explosions during Lunar New Year festivities.
• The Ministry of Emergency Management has called for increased safety oversight in the fireworks industry.

On February 18, 2023, an explosion at a fireworks shop in Zhengji, Hubei province, resulted in the deaths of 12 individuals, marking a tragic incident on the second day of the Lunar New Year celebrations. The explosion occurred around 2 PM local time and was reported by multiple sources, indicating that the fire spread across the area of approximately 50 square meters before being extinguished within an hour. Authorities have initiated an investigation into the cause of the explosion, according to Channel News Asia, South China Morning Post, and India Times.

This incident follows another explosion at a fireworks shop in Jiangsu province just days earlier, which killed eight people and injured two others. The Ministry of Emergency Management has expressed concerns over the safety of fireworks during the holiday and has urged businesses to tighten supervision and conduct thorough safety checks. The ministry emphasized the importance of preventing the recurrence of such accidents, especially during a festive period when firecrackers are commonly used to celebrate and ward off evil spirits, as reported by South China Morning Post and Channel News Asia.

Historically, while larger cities have implemented bans on fireworks due to pollution and safety concerns, many rural areas still actively partake in these traditions. The continuing occurrence of industrial accidents, such as recent explosions in other factories across the country, highlights persisting challenges with safety regulations in the fireworks industry. Reports indicate that the authorities are now more focused on ensuring rigorous safety standards moving forward, corroborated by information from India Times and South China Morning Post.