An explosion at a fireworks factory in Jiangxi province in late December killed at least 39 people. More than 10,000 residents living close to the Hong Kong-owned Panda Export Fireworks Co were forced to evacuate following the explosion.
Another blast in a separate factory in Jiangxi in early January prompted the province’s party secretary, Meng Jianzhu, to close all fireworks factories in Jiangxi within two years. Jiangxi is one of China’s largest producers and exporters of fireworks.