CHINA-BLAST/MORNING Chinese workers describe moment Tianjin port blasts struck

Record ID: 144183

  • Title: CHINA-BLAST/MORNING Chinese workers describe moment Tianjin port blasts struck
  • Date: 13th August 2015
  • Summary: TIANJIN, CHINA (AUGUST 13, 2015) (REUTERS) FIRE-FIGHTER VEHICLE PARKED SMOKE BEING SEEN AT EXPLOSION SITE PEOPLE STANDING AND LOOKING ON DAMAGED WORKERS' DORMITORY DAMAGED DORMITORY BEDS DEBRIS MAN TAKING PHOTO WITH HIS MOBILE PHONE DAMAGED DORMITORY (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 26-YEAR-OLD CONSTRUCTION WORKER, WU JINBAO, SAYING: "We were sleeping at that moment when we suddenly heard a massive burst. Mr. Song in our dormitory was the first to find out what happened. After the second blast he called us to come out and run. Then we rushed out together and found out that everything had already been torn down by the shock waves from blasts." MAN SITTING INJURY IN HIS LEG (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 28-YEAR-OLD ELECTRICIAN LI GUANGXIN, SAYING: "Around four of my colleagues were injured. Over ten of us worked together and among them four were injured. Some of them were injured badly, some had minor injuries." DEBRIS ON GROUND/PEOPLE WALKING AND VEHICLES RUNNING ON STREET
  • Embargoed: 28th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAD856XIKLFB2RQ8HZ5MJ598L7J
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Workers stationed near the site of explosions at a Chinese port recalled the moment the blast ripped through their dormitory on Thursday (August 13).
    Huge explosions hit an industrial area in the northeast Chinese port city of Tianjin late on Wednesday (August 12), triggering a blast wave felt kilometres (miles) away and injuring scores of people, China's state media reported.
    Wu Jinbao, a construction worker posted near the site recalled the horror when the blasts occurred.
    "We were sleeping at that moment when we suddenly heard a massive burst. Mr. Song in our dormitory was the first to find out what happened. After the second blast he called us to come out and run. Then we rushed out together and found out that everything had already been torn down by the shock waves from blasts," Wu said, whose dormitory was badly damaged by the wave.
    Another worker Li Guangxin suffered minor cuts on his leg following the blast.
    "Around four of my colleagues were injured. Over 10 of us worked together and among them four were injured. Some of them were injured badly, some had minor injuries," said the 28-year-old electrician.
    State broadcaster China Central Television CCTV reported that blasts had erupted in a shipment of explosives at around 11:30 p.m. (1730 GMT).
    At least 17 people were killed and around 400 hundred people were injured in the blast and some of the injured were rushed to a local hospital for medical treatment, CCTV said.
    Citing the hospital, state news agency Xinhua said people had been wounded by broken glass and stones and some were seriously hurt.
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