Mongolei / Mongolia
2005
Chaohao Village in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. At least two people were killed and five others injured in a series of explosions triggered by fireworks.
The first explosion occurred at approximately 7:40 a.m.; by 3 p.m., explosions could still be heard with thick smoke hanging over the village.
Villagers had to
stay far from their houses, ready to escape from the next explosion at any
time. Some villagers even slept in the fields outside the village.
It is supposed, that the chain blast was caused by a family mishandling the explosive material.
Among the approximately 1000
households in the village, at least four-fifths of the families make a living by
producing fireworks. Every house is like an ammunition depot on a small scale.
Once the explosive material in one house was ignited, it easily led to a chain
reaction. More than half of the houses were destroyed in the explosions, most
windows were shattered. Because of the continual blasts, the firefighters could
not get near to the houses on fire. 10.10.2005
Source:
"Serial
explosions of fireworks injure at least five in N.China", 10.10.2005,
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/10/content_3602077.htm
"Serial
explosions of fireworks injure at least five in N.China
"Chain blasts in fireworks village kill 2", 12.10.2005, http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-10/12/content_484309.htm
2001
Naiman District, Inner Mongolia. Two women were killed and several people injured in an explosion at a fireworks factory. AFP quoted the agency as saying the explosion was caused when a burning stove set off some firecrackers being made in the factory.
Source:
1.12.2001