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2015 Tianjin explosions

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2015 Tianjin explosions
Date12 August 2015 (2015-08-12)
Time~23:30 CST (~15:30 UTC)
VenuePort of Tianjin
LocationBinhai, Tianjin, China
Coordinates39°02′19″N 117°44′13″E / 39.038611°N 117.736944°E / 39.038611; 117.736944
TypeExplosion
CauseUnder investigation
Deaths56+
Non-fatal injuries721+ (including 58 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

Tianjin Dongjiang Port Ruihai International Logistics (天津东疆保税港区瑞海国际物流有限公司), or Ruihai Logistics (瑞海物流), 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 (天津海事局) 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

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2015)
Map of the port area

The first reports of a fire began coming in at around 22:50 local time (14:50 UTC) at a warehouse in the Binhai New Area. The first to respond to the fire were unable to keep it from spreading. At around 23:30 (15:30 UTC), the first explosion occurred that registered as a magnitude 2.3 earthquake. Initial reports estimate that the first explosion was equivalent to 3 tonnes of TNT. Shortly after this initial explosion, a second more powerful one occurred which caused most of the damage and injuries with shockwaves being felt many kilometres away. The second explosion has been estimated to be equivalent to 21 tonnes of TNT. The resulting fireballs reached hundreds of meters high and has been compared to that of a nuclear explosion.

At 02:45 (18:45 UTC), police confirmed that at least seven people had died as a result of a large explosion at a warehouse storing dangerous materials. Beijing News also confirm that around 300-400 people have been injured.

At 14:30 (6:30 UTC) on 13 August, firefighting was suspended due to the uncertainty of the content and quantity of hazardous materials being stored on site. A team of over 200 chemical specialists were deployed to the site to assess the hazardous materials on site, dangers to the environment and how to best to proceed with putting out the remaining fires, search and rescue and the clean-up operation.

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, 21 of whom have died. Contact was lost with 36 firefighters, but one survivor was found on the morning of 14 August 2015, 19-year-old firefighter Zhou Ti.

Several reports stated that at least 71 people were severely injured, and more than 50 were 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. The buildings of seven logistics companies were destroyed, along with more than eight thousand new cars in a nearby parking lot. Apartment blocks 2 km (1.2 mi) from the site sustained 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 at least 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 (1,600 ft) of the origin of the explosion, but the levels conformed with national standards. The gases were undetected 2 km (1.2 mi) 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 begun 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, and water quality is 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. Journalists and bystanders were restricted to about 1–2 km (0.62–1.24 mi) from the explosion site. 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 (Chinese: 泰达医院) was interrupted during a live report by upset relatives of the victims.

Reactions

See also

References

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