Death toll increased to 36 people in the firecracker storehouse
explosion Sunday afternoon in central China's
Henan Province, said sources with the local government.
Investigation showed that at 14:15 Sunday, an explosion took
place at the storehouse of a closed firecracker company named
Lilin, in Linqi Town, Linzhou City of Henan, causing collapse of a
neighboring temple nearby and killing 16 people on the spot.
Another 20 people were found died during cleaning up of the
locale or the treatment. Currently 36 were killed and 48 were
injured, with 8 people seriously injured.
According to the local work safety department, the company had
been closed due to illegal operation, but there were still
firecrackers in the storehouse.
Sunday was right the first day of
Chinese Lunar New Year, and many people went to the temple to
burn joss sticks. Someone accidentally ignited the firecrackers in
the storehouse and caused the explosion while burning joss sticks
and igniting bangers. Waves of the explosion pushed down the
temple, and some people were buried beneath the debris, according
to local witness.
Rescue work was initiated soon after the incident occurred.
Investigation is still underway, and the public has basically
calmed down, said the local government.
(Xinhua News Agency January 31, 2006)