ZHENGZHOU - An explosion at an unlicensed firecracker workshop in Central China's Henan province killed three people and injured three others on Sunday, local authorities said.

The blast occurred at about 9:50 am in Yangzhai Village of Runan county, with police suspecting it was caused by illegally stored gunpowder, according to the county's publicity bureau.

The workshop owner's wife and daughter and one of their neighbors were killed in the accident, while three others, including the workshop owner, have been hospitalized, the bureau said.