CHINA-BLAST/EVACUEES People are forced to evacuate homes after Tianjan blasts

Record ID: 144130

  • Title: CHINA-BLAST/EVACUEES People are forced to evacuate homes after Tianjan blasts
  • Date: 13th August 2015
  • Summary: TIANJIN, CHINA (AUGUST 13, 2015) (REUTERS) FIRETRUCKS ON ROAD NEAR BLAST SITE FIRETRUCKS CRUMPLED SHIPPING CONTAINERS, CRUMPLED STEEL STRUCTURE WITH SMOKE AND BURNED CARS SMOKE RISING AT THE END OF A CLOSED OFF STREET SECURITY GUARDS IN FRONT OF CLOSED OFF STREET MEN ON SIDEWALK MAN WITH BANDAGED ARM AND OTHER MEN TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) DAN AGIO, 48, WHO LIVED IN T
  • Embargoed: 28th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAA4ICDXBTTMCCSHKB6CPRXZ28T
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Residents of a housing complex near the site of two powerful explosions in the northeast Chinese port city of Tianjin were forced to evacuate on Thursday (August 13) after the blasts severely damaged buildings and destroyed a temporary housing structure.
    The blasts killed at least 44 people, officials and state media said.
    At least 520 people were injured, more than 60 of them seriously, the Tianjin government said on its Weibo microblog.
    The blasts on Wednesday (August 12) night sent shockwaves through apartment blocks kilometres away in the port city of 15 million people.
    Dan Aigio, 48, who lived in temporary housing behind a residential complex, said the building was was destroyed almost instantly.
    "Our dormitory was collapsed, we cannot see it now, it's collapsed. At the time it happened it was very horrible. I rolled off the bed after the first shock wave hit, so I scrambled to run for my life. When I reach downstairs the second blast happened. It's as if the sky collapsed. In a blink of an eye the roof fell," he said.
    Liu Yong, 43, a resident of the housing complex, says many of the injured were migrants living in the temporary building.
    "The power of shock wave was so big, it ripped off the windows and doors. The roof collapsed and injured people. They were bleeding," he said.
    The explosions also caused severe damage to the residential complex itself, shattering windows and blowing steel doors off their hinges.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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