At least nine people died and 26 others were injured after an explosion rocked a fireworks factory in a village in central China's Hunan province on Monday, media reports said.

The explosion occurred at around 8:23 a.m. Monday in Linli County, Hunan Province, Xinhua reported.

A search and rescue team has been formed following the mishap.

An investigation into the incident is currently underway.

The exact cause of the explosion is still not clear.