Eight people have died after an explosion and blaze at a fireworks shop. The fire broke out at a shop in eastern China ahead of the Lunar new year, authorities said. 

Two others have suffered minor burns. The blast occurred in a village in Jiangsu province on the afternoon of Sunday, February 15, after a resident set off fireworks improperly near the store, according to a statement from Donghai county government. 

It did not provide further details on what happened.

Setting off firecrackers at midnight on the Lunar New Year is a tradition in China, but many places have banned fireworks in recent years, at least in part because of air pollution. Some governments did ease their bans last year so they may make a comeback. 

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival in China, falls on Tuesday. This will mark the start of the year of the horse in the Chinese zodiac.

The Ministry of Emergency Management urged all regions to strengthen the supervision of the production, transportation, sales and use of fireworks to prevent future accidents following Sunday's explosion. 

Trying out fireworks and firecrackers close to stores should be strictly prohibited according to a ministry statement. It called on local governments to identify and eliminate blind spots “to ensure the people have a safe, auspicious and happy Spring Festival.”