Last updated on October 21st, 2025
Editor’ s Note
On October 4, Fact Hunter noticed a video circulating on social media claiming that “a fire occurred during the Liuyang drone fireworks show.” The video showed sparks falling from the sky and alleged that “a crash and fire took place during the performance.” As online discussions intensified, we observed that several major international media outlets used vague wording and questionable video sources in their reports. Such videos are highly misleading and could easily cause the public to misunderstand the nature of the event. Therefore, to ensure factual accuracy, Fact Hunter conducted a verification of this incident.
Claim
On October 6, CNN used the term “fiery debris” at the 6-second mark of its video report on the Liuyang drone fireworks show in China — a vague expression that left viewers uncertain about what had actually happened on site. The video gained nearly 40,000 likes and about 10,000 shares within 18 hours.That same day, BBC News Chinese also published the video, crediting it to Sichuan Radio and Television Station and Shanghai Radio and Television Station.After the Liuyang drone fireworks show set two Guinness World Records on October 17, the video resurfaced on Threads and TikTok, reaching up to 1.3 million views in a single day.
Fact check
1、Verification of foreign media reports
（1）Verification of Doubts in Videos from Two Major Authoritative Media Outlets
·CNN：The meaning of “fiery debris”
In CNN’s report, the phrase “fiery debris” was used without clarification, which may cause ambiguity. According to several authoritative dictionaries, “fiery” means “intensely hot” or “like fire,” and “debris” generally refers to “scattered fragments” or “rubble.” When combined, the phrase can be interpreted differently depending on the context.
Based on these definitions, “fiery debris” may refer to:
A. In the context of fireworks or pyrotechnics: It may describe sparks or partially burnt fragments resulting from firework ignition.
B. In the context of crashes or explosions: It often denotes burning wreckage or flaming debris scattered by impact, typically associated with accidents or disasters.
In the present case, there is no evidence or official confirmation of a drone crash. Therefore, it is more likely that the “fiery debris” in CNN’s report refers to fireworks-related sparks or fragments, rather than wreckage from a crash.Therefore, the use of this phrase is ambiguous and prone to misleading viewers.
·BBC News Chinese: Video Source Verification
In the video published by BBC News Chinese, it is marked that the video sources are “Sichuan Radio and Television Station” and “Shanghai Radio and Television Station”.
After verification, Sichuan Radio and Television and its new media platform Sichuan Observer have not released any related content. Shanghai Radio and Television has not published the video in question, but its affiliated platform Kankan Knews did release a video that included additional details about the on-site rescue. Based on the video watermark, BBC did not directly use Kankan News‘ footage, nor did it provide any first-hand interviews explaining the rescue details. At present, the source of the video used by BBC News Chinese remains unclear.
This indicates that the source of video annotations on BBC News Chinese is questionable.
（2）Common problems in reports from other foreign media：Whether drone crashes occurred and quantity verification
Foreign media reports tend to emphasize “drone crashes” and specific numbers, yet their descriptions of the same event varied widely.
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- NDTV reported that “Dozens of drones fell and ignited mid-air”. The report, based on social media videos and eyewitness footage, cited the claim of “drone out-of-control/crash”;
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- The Times used stronger language such as “hundreds of synchronized drones malfunctioned … drones appeared to crash”, stating that the video showed drones colliding with each other and crashing;
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- A YouTube video report “Flaming drones crash into crowd” claimed that “hundreds of devices went out of control and crashed to the ground”, creating a fireball rain effect. It was described as a “chaotic scene”, but there were no details of casualties.
Source:NDTV
Most foreign media reports are based on social media snippets and speculation, with low credibility.
In the Chinese media coverage of the event, there is no explicit phrasing of “drone crash,” nor are precise quantities of drones disclosed. Rather, the reports focus on “falling sparks,” “a small‑scale fire,” and the safety response on site.
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- According to reports by several Chinese media outlets(see examples here, here and here), on the night of October 2 a display at the Sky Theatre in Liuyang saw falling sparks ignite forest vegetation; the report states the “firewas swiftly extinguished and did not affect subsequent performances.” No mention is made of drone crashes or numbers.
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- Official statements note the fire was caused by ground vegetation igniting, and that the schedule of the performance remained unaffected. Again, no mention of drone crashes or specific quantities.
（3）Exaggerate the effects of a fire
Footage from both the performance on Oct 3 and earlier shows in May indicates that the appearance of falling sparks is a normal feature of such fireworks displays. These sparks typically result from partially burned fireworks material and are not necessarily signs of malfunction or danger.
In this case, the dramatic “fire rain” effect seen in the video was largely due to the proximity of the filming angle. Some sparks happened to fall onto flammable ground materials, such as dry grass, resulting in a small fire. There is no indication that any drones collided or crashed.
However, the fire was caused by sparks landing on flammable vegetation before they were fully burned. And the dramatic visual effect in the video is due to the close filming distance.
2、Investigation of the Fire’ s Cause
(1) Geographic / On-site Combustible Conditions
Multiple on-site reports and scenic area statements mentioned that “there were flammable materials such as straw and surface vegetation below the fireworks display area.” The scenic area management also stated that it was the vegetation that caught fire.
Sourc：toutiao
(2) Why Were Straw Piles or Other Flammable Materials Present?
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- Natural Environmental Factors: The Liuyang Sky Theatre is located near the Liuyang River Scenic Area, which includes sloped terrain and grassy riverbanks. Reports indicate that the flammable materials were primarily naturally dried vegetation.
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- Not Man-Made Placement: There are no reports indicating that the straw piles were stage props or deliberately placed for the performance. On the contrary, most news reports described the flammable material as “surface vegetation,” representing the normal environmental conditions of the Sky Theater area. The Liuyang River Scenic Area is characterized by riverbanks and hillside grasslands, where the surface vegetation forms part of the natural landscape.
（3）Meteorological Observation (for 2025-10-02, Liuyang / nearby Chang-Zhu-Tan region, with Changsha station as reference)
Public meteorological data consistently show that the day’s temperature was moderate—daytime highs around 23–27 °C / 73–81 °F, and nighttime lows around 18–20 °C / 64–68 °F. Relative humidity was moderately high, about 60% during the day and 70–85% at night. The fire was more likely caused by dry grass and other combustible materials on the ground rather than by abnormally low air humidity.Some reports mentioning “dry weather conditions” should be understood as a general reference to autumn climate patterns, not as a reflection of the actual measured meteorological conditions that night.
Source:timeanddate
Conclusion: Due to the geographical conditions at the fireworks show site, there were some flammable natural vegetation on site. Coupled with the dry and arid weather in October, when the sparks fell, they ignited some of the vegetation, resulting in a small-scale fire.
3、Real Impact of Fire
（1）Safety and Fire Prevention Measures
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- Safety buffer zones were established around the fireworks launch area, with forested and vegetated areas designated as “restricted zones” and closed to the public. During the performance, the riverbank launch area and adjacent bridges were temporarily closed to traffic, prohibiting visitors from approaching the firing zone. Fire trucks, ambulances, and other emergency response units remained on-site and on standby throughout the event to ensure safety.
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- Contracting Companies
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- October 2: Hunan Fireworks Theatre Co., Ltd.
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- October 3: Liuyang Wanhui Fireworks Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
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- This arrangement was confirmed as early as September and was part of the event’ s overall “day-by-day contracting” plan, rather than an adjustment made after the incident.
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- Contracting Companies
This indicates that the organizer’ s safety response measures were relatively comprehensive, with well-established emergency protocols and a decentralized risk management approach.
Source:Tencent News
（2）Subsequent situation
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- The fire was extinguished within three minutes, indicating that the fire was not large and the response measures were well-implemented.
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- On the 3rd, it was confirmed that the performance would proceed normally, unaffected by the fire incident the previous day.
Source：toutiao
4、Drone fireworks show technology
（1）Verification of the Operating Principles of the Drone Fireworks Show
reference source:CCTV News
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- Equipment and ignition control: Drones are equipped with dedicated mounts or attachments, and some have ignition boards that can hold up to three fireworks. These are connected to a specialized igniter, and software precisely controls the firing location, timing, and altitude. When triggered, the system automatically sends the ignition signal.
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- Path and numbering management: Each drone has a unique ID and a preset flight path. Even with 1,000–2,000 drones, collisions are avoided. A “choreography” file, including takeoff, performance, and landing sequences, guides execution.
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- Pre-production and design process: First, the theme is confirmed with the client (e.g., moon, crayfish), and the site is surveyed (area, signal). Then, a 2D design is converted into a 3D model, colored, given action commands (e.g., clinking glasses, shaking), and stitched into sequences before packaging into the program.
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- On-site testing and safety: Drones are set up six hours before the show. Battery status is checked (green light normal, other colors indicate issues) along with positioning. In windy conditions, 2–3 drones are used to measure wind speed; flight is safe only if below 10 meters per second.
（2）Was digital control technology used in this event?
Yes. A digital numerical control system was used. Multiple media reports and official announcements from the scenic area described the event as a “drone formation performance,” meaning the drones were coordinated through pre-programmed flight paths and a digital control system.
5、Trend in the comment section
Overall wind direction
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- Emotional Tone: A mix of shock and humor; approximately 70% of comments carry negative sentiment, though most are light-hearted rather than hostile.
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- Engagement Features: High user activity and heavy emoji usage (over 80%), dominated by young users aged 18–35.
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- Public Opinion Evolution: On October 2–3, reactions centered on “shock”; by October 5–7, the discussion shifted toward “jokes and reflection,” with growing attention to safety concerns.
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- International Perspective: Many English-speaking users participated, showing mild condescension (e.g., “Chinese tech is chaotic” ), but no systematic anti-China narrative was formed.
Conclusion: This type of video is highly misleading and likely to cause public misunderstanding of this incident.
Verdict
The “fire rain” observed during the Liuyang fireworks show consisted of fireworks fragments, some of which fell onto nearby dry grass and caused a small fire.No casualties were reported, and to date, all available reports and official information indicate that there is no evidence or authoritative confirmation of any drone crash. The fire was extinguished within approximately three minutes, and the following night’ s performance proceeded as scheduled.
Have a questionable video or claim? Submit it to Fact Hunter’ s investigation team at [therealfacthunter@outlook.com].
Primary Fact Checker: SUN Fei
Secondary Fact Checker: MA Xianzhi
Perfectly written. Not too simple, not too complex.