Major Explosion at China’s Fujian Shipyard Kills Firefighter, Injures 11

On Aug. 13, a firefighter was killed and 11 others, including 10 emergency responders, were injured after an explosion erupted while crews were battling a fire at a shipyard in southeastern China’s Fujian Province, local authorities said. The fire broke out at Huahai Shipyard in Gantang Township, Fu’an, a county-level city in Fujian, at approximately 1:09 p.m., according to a notice from the Fu’an Fire and Rescue Bureau.

Fire crews arrived at approximately 1:25 p.m. and were working to contain the blaze when an explosion occurred at 2:10 p.m., authorities said. 10 firefighters and two civilians were injured and then transported to hospitals for treatment, the official notice said. However, the notice did not immediately disclose the severity of their injuries or what caused the initial fire and subsequent explosion.

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Conflicting accounts of casualties

According to Chinese corporate database Tianyancha, Century Huahai was established in August 2011 with registered capital of 5 million yuan (about USD$696,000) and operates in the metal shipbuilding industry.

As footage of the incident circulated on Chinese and overseas social media, some online accounts claimed that the consequences were substantially more severe than authorities had disclosed. An X account operated by blogger “Luo Xiang — Breaking the Curtain and Pushing Down the Wall” (罗翔～破幕推墙), who frequently posts about breaking events in China, shared video purportedly from the scene along with a submission attributed to a mainland firefighter.

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The post claimed: “At around 1 p.m. on Aug. 13, 2026, Huahai Shipyard in Gantang Township, Fu’an City, Fujian Province, was set on fire and began burning after an explosion. Another explosion occurred while firefighters were handling the scene. Six bodies have been found at the scene, and more than 30 people are missing. Officials have only reported 12 injuries! The fire was caused by an internal power struggle!”

Industrial fires raise safety concerns

The Fujian explosion follows several high-profile industrial fires reported across China in recent weeks. On Aug. 4, a fire erupted during the loading and unloading of materials at Yunnan Haoming Fine Phosphorus Chemical Co. in Kunming’s Jinning District. The incident caused phosphorus to leak and burn, sending thick white smoke into surrounding areas.

The blaze reportedly took more than 10 hours to extinguish, with some nearby residents complained of coughing and throat discomfort resulting from the lingering exposure to the toxic chemicals.

On Aug. 2, a warehouse operated by Qingdao Xiangyu Suchuan Supply Chain Co. in Shandong Province also caught fire, sending towering flames and thick black smoke into the air. Videos circulating online appeared to show repeated explosions from within the facility.

Just days earlier, on July 28, another warehouse fire broke out at Jinlu Food Co. in Huai’an, Jiangsu Province. Videos showed extensive damage to two red-roofed buildings and heavy black smoke, while a Jinlu Food employee confirmed that the company’s facility was on fire. Authorities reported no casualties, though social media posts alleged that a labor dispute may have preceded the blaze. Residents also raised concerns over the true number of injuries.

The latest incident comes roughly a month after another major factory fire broke out in Fujian. On July 9, a deadly blaze swept through a five-story building belonging to Huiteng Footwear in Jinjiang, Quanzhou, killing at least 28 people, according to Chinese authorities. Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours before bringing it under control.