Central China's Hunan province, a major fireworks manufacturing and sales base, has ordered an across-the-board safety check after an explosion killed six people on Tuesday.
A buyer set off fireworks outside a store at Yueyang City late Tuesday, causing a fire and explosion at the shop in a commercial-residential building, local authorities said Wednesday.
The Hunan administration of work safety said firework shops should not be located in residential buildings, but should be in special shops, some distance from large crowds.
The administration will send seven teams to check fireworks shops and storage houses.
Three officials were removed from their posts after the explosion.
One of the officials, Ning Lingchun was in charge of work safety in the development and reform bureau of the economic development zone in Yueyang city.
Chinese have set off firecrackers during Spring Festival, or the Lunar New Year, for centuries. It is believed the noise will drive away bad spirits and bring good luck.
