CHINA-BLAST/SITE Scorched cars, squashed containers and building skeletons show force of Tianjin blasts

Record ID: 143647

  • Title: CHINA-BLAST/SITE Scorched cars, squashed containers and building skeletons show force of Tianjin blasts
  • Date: 17th August 2015
  • Summary: TIANJIN, CHINA (AUGUST 17, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SMOKE AT BLAST SITE SQUASHED CONTAINERS SMOKE BILLOWING FROM BLAST DEBRIS PILE OF DAMAGED CONTAINERS VARIOUS OF BURNT CARS VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BUILDINGS EMERGENCY RESCUE OF CHINA VEHICLE PARKED/MEDIA LOGO OF EMERGENCY RESCUE OF CHINA ON VEHICLE BODY CONTAINERS PILING UP/EXCAVATORS AT WORK VARIOUS OF SQUASHED CONTAINERS P
  • Embargoed: 1st September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAAY92HGQC3SPRL406RO55N0Y8K
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Thousands of scorched cars, piles of squashed containers and building skeletons at the Tianjin blast site on Monday (August 17) showed the massive force of last week's explosions.
    The Chinese government took media to the smouldering site where several bulldozers and rescuers were working, conducting search and rescue efforts.
    The death toll rose to 114 on Monday from last Wednesday's (August 12) explosions, which sent massive yellow and orange fireballs into the sky, hurled burning debris across a vast industrial area, crumpled cars and shipping containers, burnt out buildings and shattered windows of nearby apartments.
    The number of missing was reported at 70, most of them fire fighters, state media said, suggesting the toll would rise significantly. Nearly 700 people remained in hospital.
    Soldiers and rescue workers in gas masks and hazard suits continued to search for toxic materials at the blast site. The goal is to clear the chemicals before any rain falls, which could create further toxic gas.
    Officials acknowledged the presence of toxins but said they posed no risk to people outside a two-kilometre evacuation zone surrounding the blast area.
    Tianjin authorities confirmed the presence of more than 100 tons of deadly sodium cyanide, stored at two separate sites. Fire crews were criticised for using water to douse flames in the initial fire, which may have contributed to the blasts, given the volatile nature of the chemicals involved.
    Some 6,300 people have been displaced by the blasts. Shockwaves were felt by residents in apartment blocks kilometres away in the city of 15 million people.
    China's top prosecutor, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, opened an investigation into the warehouse explosions, state-run Xinhua news agency reported, and "will look into possible illegal acts, such as abuse of power or dereliction of duty and deal with those acts which may constitute crimes," it said.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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