A huge explosion rocked the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Wednesday, state media reported.
Initial reports said hundreds were wounded, although the exact number of casualties has yet to be determined. According to the official Chinese Seismological Network, two blasts occurred in the city, a first explosion equivalent to the detonation of 3 tons of TNT, and a second, much larger explosion 30 seconds later which was equivalent to a detonation of about 21 tons of TNT.
The blast was caused by explosive material in a container at a terminal in Binhai Dist, according to Business Insider.
Video: Massive #explosion rocks Chinese port city of #Tianjin, hundreds reportedly hospitalized https://t.co/jTxwaPBxHw
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) August 12, 2015
The official Xinhua news agency said a deafening bang was heard as plumes of flame lit up the sky, scattering dust dozens of meters into the air.
Video: Huge ball of fire after #explosion in northern Chinese port city of #Tianjin. https://t.co/nplk5Z2FCG — China Xinhua News (@XHNews) August 12, 2015
17 killed, hundreds injured, as huge explosion rocks Chinese city
BEIJING — Huge explosions sparked at a warehouse for dangerous material in the northeastern Chinese port of Tianjin have killed at least 17 people and injured hundreds, officials and state media outlets said Thursday.
The state-run Beijing News said on its website that between 300 and 400 people had been admitted to hospitals in the city, east of Beijing. It says the explosions shattered windows and knocked off doors of buildings in the area.
Police in Tianjin said an initial blast took place late Wednesday night at shipping containers of a warehouse for hazardous materials owned by a logistics company.
The official Xinhua News agency said an initial explosion triggered other blasts at nearby businesses. The National Earthquake Bureau reported two major blasts before midnight, the first with an equivalent of 3 tons of TNT, and the second with the equivalent of 21 tons.
Photos apparently taken by bystanders and circulating online on microblogs show a gigantic fireball high in the sky, with a mushroom-cloud.
State broadcaster CCTV said six battalions of firefighters had brought the ensuing fire under control, although it was still burning. It said the firefighters were combing the neighborhood to look for further injured residents.
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