CHINA-BLAST/UK-HAMMOND Visiting British foreign secretary offers condolences to Chinese people after Tianjin blasts

Record ID: 144103

  • Title: CHINA-BLAST/UK-HAMMOND Visiting British foreign secretary offers condolences to Chinese people after Tianjin blasts
  • Date: 13th August 2015
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (AUGUST 13, 2015) (REUTERS) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY, PHILIP HAMMOND, WALKING IN AND STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY, PHILIP HAMMOND, SAYING: "I'd like to offer my condolences to Chinese people for the terrible disaster that occurred in Tianjin. I was in Tianjin yesterday morning and had the opportunity to see this vibrant city. I have every confidence the authorities and emergency services will do everything necessary to minimize the loss of lives to resort the city to the normal working as soon as possible. In the mean time, I repeat our condolences to those who have lost their lives, and those who were injured in this disaster." HAMMOND WALKING AWAY VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF BRITISH AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE
  • Embargoed: 28th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4QQ8DD9WVUMF2Y0602228B79O
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Visiting British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond offered his condolences to the Chinese people on Thursday (August 13) after massive blasts struck the northeastern port city of Tianjin, killing at least 44 and injuring hundreds.
    Hammond, who made the remarks at the British Ambassador's residence in Beijing, is in China as part of a tour of east Asia that also included South Korea and Japan.
    "I'd like to offer my condolences to Chinese people for the terrible disaster that occurred in Tianjin. I was in Tianjin yesterday morning and had the opportunity to see this vibrant city. I have every confidence the authorities and emergency services will do everything necessary to minimize the loss of lives to resort the city to the normal working as soon as possible. In the mean time, I repeat our condolences to those who have lost their lives, and those who were injured in this disaster," said Hammond.
    Two huge explosions tore through an industrial area where toxic chemicals and gas were stored late on Wednesday (August 12), killing at least 44 people, including 12 fire fighters, officials and state media said.
    At least 520 people were injured, more than 60 of them seriously.
    Internet videos showed fireballs shooting into the sky and the U.S. Geological Survey registered the blasts as seismic events.
    Vast areas of the port - the 10th largest in the world - were devastated, crumpled shipping containers were thrown around like match sticks, hundreds of new cars were torched and port buildings left as burnt-out shells.
    President Xi Jinping demanded that authorities "make full effort to rescue and treat the injured and ensure the safety of people and their property".
    He said in a statement carried by official media that those responsible should be "severely handled".
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