The death toll from the explosion at a fireworks factory in Liuyang, Central China's Hunan province, has risen to 37 as of Friday noon, with one person still missing and 51 others hospitalized, according to local authorities.

The blast occurred at 4:43 pm on Monday at Liuyang Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co, located in Guandu township, Liuyang, a county-level city in Changsha.

By Friday noon, search and rescue operations had concluded. Among the 51 injured who are receiving medical treatment, five are in serious condition but have stable vital signs, local authorities said.

In response to the accident, the Changsha government swiftly activated emergency response procedures and established a task force to manage the situation. Over 1,500 personnel were mobilized to conduct rescue operations, emergency responses, and provide medical treatment.

Authorities conducted comprehensive investigations to locate missing individuals, employing multiple rounds of on-site searches and cross-referencing company employment records, access control logs, video footage, interview records, personnel identification, and DNA comparisons.

Eight individuals have since been summoned by police on suspicion of causing a major accident due to liability. Efforts to treat the injured, manage the aftermath, investigate the cause of the accident, and conduct safety inspections and rectifications are progressing in an orderly manner.