The identities of the 12 victims killed in an explosion at a fireworks store in Hubei province have been verified, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.

The incident occurred in Yicheng, a county-level city in Xiangyang, at around 2:24 pm on Wednesday, causing significant damage and a fire that spread over approximately 100 square meters, local officials said at a Thursday news conference.

After a comprehensive search and investigation, it was confirmed that 12 people died in the accident, including seven adults and five minors.

Among them, one of the deceased was the store owner, surnamed Lin, and the other 11 were customers who had come to purchase fireworks—three were relatives visiting from Chengdu, Sichuan province, four from Zhongxiang city, Hubei province, and four local residents.

The relevant information has been promptly communicated to the victims' families, and efforts are being made to actively address the difficulties they are facing.