Nine people have been killed and five injured in an explosion at a fireworks factory in a village in central China's Hunan Province.

The explosion occurred Wednesday morning at a private fireworks factory in Baizhu Village, Liling City, killing the owner of the factory and family members, said officials from the city government.

Liling is one of the major fireworks production bases in Hunan.

In 2003, the city arrested 69 owners of illegal fireworks factories, 12 of whom were jailed.

(Xinhua News Agency January 1, 2004)