China firecracker blast kills five children
BEIJING, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Five children were killed and one seriously wounded by a blast at an abandoned firecracker factory where they were playing, state media said on Monday.
The six, all about 10 years old, were playing inside the factory in Yuncheng in the northern province of Shanxi on Sunday when the explosion occurred.
"A small amount of expired explosives stored in the factory went off at about 1 p.m., killing five instantly and seriously injuring the other," Xinhua news agency said.
Fatal blasts at fireworks factories, many unlicensed in residential areas, are common in China. Hundreds of such accidents cause around 450 deaths a year.
Explosions at two separate fireworks workshops last month killed at least 18 people. (Reported by Beijing newsroom, editing by Nick Macfie and David Fogarty)
The six, all about 10 years old, were playing inside the factory in Yuncheng in the northern province of Shanxi on Sunday when the explosion occurred.
"A small amount of expired explosives stored in the factory went off at about 1 p.m., killing five instantly and seriously injuring the other," Xinhua news agency said.
Fatal blasts at fireworks factories, many unlicensed in residential areas, are common in China. Hundreds of such accidents cause around 450 deaths a year.
Explosions at two separate fireworks workshops last month killed at least 18 people. (Reported by Beijing newsroom, editing by Nick Macfie and David Fogarty)
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