2015 Tianjin explosions - Misplaced Pages

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2015 Tianjin explosions

Date	12 August 2015 (2015-08-12)
Time	~23:30 CST (~15:30 UTC)
Venue	Port of Tianjin
Location	Binhai, Tianjin, China
Coordinates	39°02′19″N 117°44′13″E / 39.038611°N 117.736944°E / 39.038611; 117.736944
Type	Explosion
Cause	Under Investigation
Deaths	55+
Non-fatal injuries	701+ (including 71 severe injuries)

On 12 August 2015, at least two explosions within 30 seconds of each other occurred at a container storage station at the Port of Tianjin in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin, China. The cause of the explosions was not immediately known, but initial reports pointed to an industrial accident. Chinese state media said that at least the initial blast was from unknown hazardous materials in shipping containers at a plant warehouse owned by Ruihai Logistics, a firm specializing in handling hazardous materials.

Background

The Tianjin Dongjiang Port Ruihai International Logistics (Ruihai Logistics, 瑞海国际物流有限公司) is a privately held logistics company which was established in 2011. It handles hazardous chemicals within the Port of Tianjin, such as compressed air, flammable and corrosive substances, oxidizing agents, and toxic chemicals. The company is designated by the Tianjin Maritime Safety Administration as an approved agent for handling these hazardous chemicals. Its 46,000 m site contains multiple warehouses for hazardous goods, a fire pump and a fire pond, and the corporation employs 70 staff.

The warehouse building, owned by Ruihai Logistics, is recorded in a 2014 government document as being a hazardous chemical storage facility for calcium carbide, sodium nitrate, and potassium nitrate. Nevertheless, the authorities admitted that poor record keeping, damage to the office facilities and "major discrepancies" with customs meant that they were unable to identify the substances stored.

Explosions

Early reports suggested that hundreds of people were injured in the blasts, which were felt several kilometers away. The blasts registered as magnitude 2.3 and 2.9 earthquakes on the moment magnitude scale, with the resulting fireballs reaching hundreds of meters high. The China Earthquake Networks Center reported the first and second blasts were equivalent to 3 and 21 tonnes of TNT, respectively.

Firefighting was suspended on 12 August due to a lack of clarity on the content and quantity of the hazardous material in the warehouse.

Casualties

According to the Tianjin government, more than 700 people were injured by the explosion, many with extensive injuries, mostly from burns and explosive blast injuries. Over a thousand firefighters were on scene, 12 of whom have died. Contact was lost with 36 firefighters, but 1 survivor was found on Friday morning: the 19 year old fire-fighter Zhou Ti. A video showed a blinding blast of light and smoke that sent fireballs shooting across the night sky.

Several reports stated that at least 71 people were severely injured, and more than 50 killed. The official death toll was reported as 55 by state broadcaster CCTV.

Damage

Photographs and videos show extensive destruction in the area around the warehouse. The explosions were photographed from space by the Japanese satellite Himawari. Buildings of seven logistics companies were destroyed in the blasts, along with more than eight thousand new cars in a nearby parking lot. Even apartment blocks 2 km from the site experienced shattered glass, the loss of roof tiles and damage to ceilings.

Nearby Donghai Road Station suffered severe damage as a result of the explosions and is closed indefinitely. Line 9 of Tianjin Metro was closed down on August 13.

The Tianhe-1A supercomputer was shut down after the National Supercomputing Center of Tianjin was damaged by the blasts. The computer was not damaged and was still functional.

Pollution

There were 700 tonnes of sodium cyanide stored at the site and leakage has been found in the sewer. On Thursday, officials detected the toxic gases sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides within 500 m of the origin of the explosion, but the levels conformed with national standards. The gases were undetected 2 km from the fire.

Response

The morning following the explosion military personnel began to arrive in Tianjin to help with the search and recovery efforts. Extra equipment, such as bulldozers, were brought in to help with the clean-up operation. Over 200 nuclear and biochemical experts, including a team from the International Atomic Energy Agency, have began arriving in Tianjin to assess the health risks from the chemicals being released into the atmosphere. Government personnel have set up 12 temporary monitoring stations near the blast site with "harmful air pollutants" being detected above normal levels. A nearby drainage outlet has also been closed with water quality being tested.

Rescue personnel are currently trying to remove all 700 tonnes of sodium cyanide stored at the site with hydrogen peroxide being prepared to neutralise the chemicals.

Temporary shelters have also been set up to help those unable to return home, where more than 3,500 residents are currently spending the night. This came after government calls to evacuate after fears of a secondary explosion, though not universally followed.

Guo Shengkun, the Chinese Minister of Public Security, visited the blast site in Tianjin and called for all-out efforts to save lives.

Media coverage

Chinese authorities reportedly attempted to censor professional and social media reports. Social media users have reported that their posts regarding the blasts are being deleted, with the words "Tianjin" and "explosion" having become the most censored on Weibo. Journalists were kept away from the blast site. It was also reported that eight hours after the explosion, Tianjin Television was not reporting on the event, instead showing soap operas. Tianjin authorities banned reporters from sharing information about the disaster on Weibo and WeChat, and websites have been advised to follow state media. The Tianjin Internet Police "warned social media users to stick to official reports about the number of dead and injured".

A CNN correspondent, Will Ripley, who took photos outside TEDA Hospital was interrupted during a live report by upset relatives of the victims.

Reactions

Belgium: Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders expressed his sincere condolences to the authorities and the people of China and "is saddened by the disaster".
China: China Central Television reported that President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang had urged "all-out efforts to rescue victims and extinguish the fire."
Taiwan: The Mainland Affairs Council and Straits Exchange Foundation expressed concern and offered help to Mainland authorities. Democratic Progressive Party extended its condolences.
Russia: On Thursday, the Kremlin press service released a statement on behalf of President Vladimir Putin stating "Putin conveyed words of compassion and support to the relatives and friends of those who died in the accident and wished soonest recovery to those who were injured in the explosions."
United Kingdom: In a statement released by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond expressed his condolences for the loss of lives in the Tianjin explosion and Shaanxi landslide.
United States: In a statement released by the White House, United States President Barack Obama conveyed his condolences, and those of the American people. The White House also praised the actions of the first responders.