China orders nationwide fireworks safety inspection

BEIJING -- China has ordered an immediate, comprehensive safety overhaul of the fireworks sales after two recent explosions revealed safety risks of the popular holiday activity.

The Office of the State Council Work Safety Committee in a notice called for strengthening oversight of the entire supply chain, particularly the sales and discharge of fireworks, to curb the recent uptick in fireworks accidents.

The move comes after two deadly accidents in Jiangsu and Hubei provinces, which underscored the risks tied to fireworks, a staple during the Spring Festival holiday but also a source of safety concern.

Specific measures of the tighter supervision include a ban on a series of hazardous practices, such as mixed-use residential zoning, in which fireworks are sold on the first floor of residential buildings. Excessive stockpiling, trial ignitions within 100 meters of retail points, and the discharge of fireworks in no-fire zones or densely populated areas are also prohibited.

The office and the Ministry of Emergency Management have dispatched inspection teams to key regions to conduct checks, in a bid to press local authorities to assume responsibility for safety.