Twelve people died on Wednesday after a firecracker shop exploded and caught fire in Hubei province, China, burning about 50 square metres of the building, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
The explosion took place at an unidentified store in the central Chinese city of Xiangyang, the report said. The cause of the blast was under investigation, CCTV said.
Explosions related to pyrotechnics are not uncommon in China, where firecrackers are widely used and often indiscriminately deployed during celebratory occasions such as the Lunar New Year holiday, which began on Tuesday.
In June, ablast at a fireworks factory in neighbouring Hunan killed nine people and injured 26 others.
Some cities in China have banned fireworks out of concerns over safety and air pollution, but the measures are controversial as firecrackers, traditionally used to scare off evil spirits, remain central to Lunar New Year celebrations.
(With input from Reuters)
