BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council has established an investigation team to probe into a fireworks plant explosion in central China's Hunan Province, authorities said on Friday.

Rescuers work on site after an explosion at a fireworks plant in Liuyang, central China's Hunan Province, May 5, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

The blast, which occurred at around 4:43 p.m. on Monday at a fireworks plant in Liuyang, a county-level city under Changsha, capital city of Hunan, had claimed 37 lives, left one person missing and injured 51 others who were receiving medical treatment in hospitals as of Friday noon.

The investigation team, formed in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, is led by the Ministry of Emergency Management, with participation from the Ministry of Public Security, the General Administration of Customs, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, and the People's Government of Hunan Province.

The team held its first meeting on Friday afternoon, outlining investigation arrangements, and stressing that all causes and responsibilities must be identified via a thorough investigation.

The meeting also called on local authorities to draw profound lessons from the explosion, implement decisive measures to strengthen safety management for fireworks, and identify and rectify risks and hidden dangers in key industries and sectors to resolutely prevent the recurrence of such major disasters.