Three people have died and 25 others have been injured after an explosion at a fireworks manufacturing plant in Liuyang city, Hunan province, Xinhua News reported on Monday evening.

The blast occurred at around 4:43 pm on Monday at Liuyang Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co, a fireworks plant located at Guandu township, Liuyang, a county-level city in Changsha. Emergency and fire rescue teams were deployed to the scene shortly after the explosion.

As of 7 pm, the explosion had left three people dead and 25 injured, including two who remain in serious condition.

Rescue operations are under way at the facility. The cause of the explosion has not yet been announced.