Explosion at Fireworks Factory in Taiwan Kills Two, Injures 12

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- An explosion at a fireworks factory in northern Taiwan killed two people and injured 12 on Monday, rescue workers said.

Cable station TVBS showed firefighters watering down piles of smoldering rubble after the blast ripped through the factory in the town of Hsinfeng in the morning hours.

The cause of the explosion was still under investigation, firefighters said. The factory was legal, but authorities were looking for its owner, Fire Chief Chang Chien-hsing told TVBS.

The Jen Tzu Hospital in nearby Hukou said the 12 injured were being treated for burns and lung damage.

Fireworks are an essential part of most Taiwanese celebrations. Some entrepreneurs make the explosives in illegal workshops to avoid the expense and hassle of regulations.

A fireworks explosion at an illegal plant in southern Chiayi County killed six people last June.