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Blasts kill 14 at 2 China fireworks plants

BEIJING, June 18 (UPI) -- Explosions at two fireworks factories in China left 14 people dead and 13 injured, authorities said.

Seven people died and a dozen were hurt in a 10:30 a.m. blast at the Dongtun fireworks factory in Huaivang County in central China's Henan province, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported.

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An explosion at the Longfa fireworks factory in Yichun, Jiangxi province, in eastern China about 4 p.m. Sunday killed seven workers and injured one, Xinhua said.

Investigations were under way into the causes of the explosions.

Local authorities issued a statement saying the workers in the Dongtun plant had been producing fireworks illegally because its production license had expired. The factory owner was away on a business trip and police were holding the owner's family, Xinhua said.

The privately owned Longfa plant is licensed, Xinhua said.

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