An explosion in a Linli County fireworks plant in central China's Hunan Province left 13 people dead and 3 injured on Wednesday.

Seven people died at the site and six others after being taken to the hospital. It was not immediately clear whether the victims were employees or neighbors.

An explosion in the finished products warehouse at about noon apparently set off a chain reaction that demolished the entire 3,000-square-meter plant. Windows were blown out of houses more than a kilometer away.

A local resident told the Xiaoxiang Morning News that he was taking lunch to his wife, a plant employee, and had just entered the packaging room when he heard an explosion. Before he could take cover, he said, the entire room collapsed around him.

The blast ignited a fire that destroyed more than half a hectare of forest before it could be contained.

A source identified by the Hunan Daily only as "a person in charge" said that the plant had finished and semifinished fireworks stored on the premises, as well as about 150 kg of gunpowder.

Authorities are investigating and have detained one of the owners, who was also in charge of production.

The State Administration of Work Safety reports that in the first nine months of this year, 192 people died in 92 separate fireworks accidents.

(China.org.cn October 29, 2004)