A fireworks store explosion in China kills 8 ahead of Lunar New Year

An explosion and fire at a fireworks shop in eastern China has killed eight people and left two others with minor burns NewsA fireworks store explosion in China kills 8 ahead of Lunar New YearAn explosion and fire at a fireworks shop in eastern China has killed eight people and left two others with minor burnsVia AP news wire Monday 16 February 2026 04:16 GMTBookmarkBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverA fireworks store explosion in China kills 8 ahead of Lunar New YearShow all 2Your support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read more An explosion and fire at a fireworks shop in eastern China has killed eight people and left two others with minor burns ahead of the Lunar New Year, authorities said.The Sunday afternoon blast in a village in Jiangsu province was caused by a resident setting off fireworks improperly near the store, the Donghai county government said in a statement. It did not provide further details on what happened.Setting off firecrackers at midnight on the Lunar New Year is a tradition in China, but many places have banned fireworks in recent years, at least in part because of air pollution.They may make a comeback in some places after some governments eased their bans last year.The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival in China, falls on Tuesday. It will mark the start of the year of the horse in the Chinese zodiac. Following Sunday's explosion, the Ministry of Emergency Management urged all regions to strengthen the supervision of the production, transportation, sales and use of fireworks to prevent future accidents.A ministry statement said that trying out fireworks and firecrackers around stores should be strictly prohibited and called on local governments to identify and eliminate blind spots “to ensure the people have a safe, auspicious and happy Spring Festival.”More aboutChinaJiangsuChineseMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next