Blast at fireworks factory in China’s Hunan kills 21, Xi calls for probe, state media says

HONG KONG, May 5 – A blast at a fireworks factory in China’s Hunan province has killed 21 people and injured 61, prompting President Xi Jinping to call for a thorough investigation, state media reported on Tuesday. The blast in Hunan’s capital city of Changsha, home to a hub for fireworks manufacturing, occurred on Monday around 4:40 p.m. (0840 GMT), according to reports by CCTV and Xinhua. Videos on Chinese internet platforms showed thick smoke billowing from a large site with collapsed buildings and debris strewn around the area. Reuters could not verify the footage. Nearly 500 firefighters, rescuers and…