An explosion at a fireworks factory in Xiangfen County, Shanxi Province, on Tuesday afternoon killed at least 25 people and injured nine, according to Xinhua News Agency.

As of 8:00 AM Wednesday morning, the fire caused by the blast had been extinguished and recovery teams were sifting through the site.

The majority of the dead were women workers from neighboring rural areas. The injured were sent to a local hospital for treatment.

The factory's workshops as well as finished-product and explosives storage areas were all located in caves built along the edge of the valley.

A relative of one injured worker told the Shanxi Evening News that a truck transporting fireworks exploded first, setting off a chain reaction. Officials are still investigating the cause of the blast.

Local police are searching for the factory owner, who apparently fled after the accident.

(China.org.cn by Tang Fuchun, January 12, 2005)