Powerful explosions tore through a warehouse storing hazardous chemicals in north China’s major port city, killing at least 50 people and injuring over 700 others as the twin blasts sent fireballs, cars and containers raining down on panic-stricken residents.
In one of China’s worst industrial disasters, the twin blasts occurred at the <g data-gr-id="63">Ruihai</g> warehouse at 11.20 pm local time on Wednesday, following a fire report half an hour earlier.
Fireballs erupted then ignited more explosions in companies nearby light up the night sky, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The blasts were so huge that they were captured on the satellites.
Over 10,000 people were reportedly evacuated from the nearby areas in the booming port city of 15 million. People rushed <g data-gr-id="70">in to</g> the streets in pyjamas and many mistook the explosions for an earthquake.
Burnt-out buildings and thousands of charred containers and cars tossed around like toys could be seen as the blasts disrupted operations and traffic in the world’s <g data-gr-id="61">tenth largest</g> port city. The impact of the blasts could be felt several kilometres away, and was registered as seismic activity at a US Geological Survey monitoring unit in Beijing.
The China Earthquake Networks Centre said the magnitude of the first explosion was the equivalent of detonating three tonnes of <g data-gr-id="68">TNT,</g> while the second was the equivalent of 21 tonnes. The shock waves were felt kilometres away, with windowpanes shattering.
A dozen firefighters were among the 50 killed while 21 others remained missing. At least 71 of the total 701 injured were said to be critical. The cause of the explosions is being investigated and the company executives have been taken into custody. The Tianjin fire brigade said the warehouse contained dangerous goods, making the fire unpredictable and dangerous to approach.
State-run CCTV said firefighters could not use water to put it out due to <g data-gr-id="69">presence</g> of chemicals and instead has to use sand and other materials to contain it.
Authorities said fires were now “under initial control” after incessant efforts by hundreds of personnel to battle the blazes by spraying dry powder and burying areas in <g data-gr-id="79">sand</g>. As many as 1,000 firefighters and 143 fire engines were sent to the spot, around 140 kilometres from the capital Beijing, they said.
Over 1,000 new cars destroyed in Tianjin blasts
Over 1,000 new cars were completely gutted following a series of blasts at a hazardous chemical warehouse here in China's major port city, killing at least 50 people and leaving over 700 injured, media reported on Thursday. The fleet of cars, parked at a huge yard, close to the site of the disaster turned into scorched metal shells, China Daily reported. Rows upon rows of cars were destroyed, with flames and thick smoke engulfing the warehouse that stored dangerous chemicals. The vehicles were covered by layers of ash, the report said.