On the afternoon of May 4, an explosion occurred at a fireworks workshop in Liuyang, Hunan Province, killing at least 26 people and injuring 61. The site was razed to the ground, and a reporter for Hunan Satellite TV described trees uprooted by the strength of the blast. The shock wave shattered windows and caused damage to buildings nearby.
Rescue operations are underway as authorities continue to search for those still missing. More than 1,500 firefighters, police, and medical personnel have been mobilized along with drones. Chinese President Xi Jinping has launched an investigation, stating that "those responsible must be held accountable." Hunan is known as China’s fireworks capital, and this is the region’s second deadly factory explosion in less than a year.
From chemical blasts to structural failures, history is full of examples of tragic disasters that have claimed lives and left lasting scars. Click on and take a look at this gallery of some truly dreadful disasters that have claimed lives and injured many others.