A boy is brought to Hangzhou No 2 People's Hospital on Saturday night after he suffered injuries in an accident during a firework show in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province. Hu Yuanyong / for China Daily
Malfunction occurred in setting off of display, leading to midair explosion
A district government in Hangzhou has said that compensation has been granted to victims of an accident that occurred during the city's annual firework show on Saturday night, leaving 151 people injured.
A third of "the injured and affected" victims have been "properly satisfied" through phone calls or home visits, and those who were injured in the accident are being compensated, according to a statement released on Sunday afternoon on the official website of the Gongshu district in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, where the accident occurred.
The firework show, held along the Grand Canal — also known as the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal — is one of the most famous and popular firework displays in China and attracted more than 500,000 people this year. The event is held annually to mark the opening of the Hangzhou West Lake Expo and used to come as the climax of the three-week-long Expo after it resumed in 2000.
Most of the injured suffered minor burns and were taken to Hangzhou No 2 People's Hospital, where they were treated and released, said Chen Jini, the chief nurse. Five people, including a child, suffered severe injuries and were still being evaluated.
The cause of the accident has not been determined, but a local radio program, Hangzhou Traffic 918, said a malfunction occurred during the lighting of the fireworks, causing them to explode in midair.
One tourist surnamed Ma said that four or five fireworks — instead of blasting into the air — shot straight at her "like bullets" about 15 minutes after the show had begun, Xinhua News Agency' affiliate Xiandai Jinbao reported. The "spray of sparks" continued for around 20 seconds, sending the crowd scrambling for cover and screaming for help, Ma said.
