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| Tianjin, a Port in China, Is Rocked by Explosions That Killed Dozens | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| TIANJIN, China — Thunderous, fiery explosions at a warehouse containing hazardous goods traumatized this northeast port city late Wednesday, killing at least 44 people, injuring at least 400, shattering glass on scores of high-rise buildings and causing other extensive damage. | TIANJIN, China — Thunderous, fiery explosions at a warehouse containing hazardous goods traumatized this northeast port city late Wednesday, killing at least 44 people, injuring at least 400, shattering glass on scores of high-rise buildings and causing other extensive damage. |
| The force of the blasts registered on earthquake scales and was felt miles away. | The force of the blasts registered on earthquake scales and was felt miles away. |
| As of Thursday morning, an unknown number of people remained unaccounted for in the wreckage, the Tianjin Police Department said in a statement, and 32 of the injured were in critical condition. The official Xinhua news agency later reported that 12 firefighters were among the dead. The toll was expected to rise. | As of Thursday morning, an unknown number of people remained unaccounted for in the wreckage, the Tianjin Police Department said in a statement, and 32 of the injured were in critical condition. The official Xinhua news agency later reported that 12 firefighters were among the dead. The toll was expected to rise. |
| Xinhua and other state-run news outlets posted graphic video clips of the blasts, showing a fire and a huge flash of light that resembled a mushroom cloud illuminating the darkness over Tianjin, a city of 14 million that is one of China’s most important commercial trade centers. | Xinhua and other state-run news outlets posted graphic video clips of the blasts, showing a fire and a huge flash of light that resembled a mushroom cloud illuminating the darkness over Tianjin, a city of 14 million that is one of China’s most important commercial trade centers. |
| Another video posted by the state-run newspaper People’s Daily showed a person blown down by a wall of shattering glass and debris. | Another video posted by the state-run newspaper People’s Daily showed a person blown down by a wall of shattering glass and debris. |
| “The air pressure from the blast was so strong it just knocked me down in one fell swoop,” said Han Tao, 30, a truck driver who lives on the 13th floor of a building just over a mile from the site of the explosion. | “The air pressure from the blast was so strong it just knocked me down in one fell swoop,” said Han Tao, 30, a truck driver who lives on the 13th floor of a building just over a mile from the site of the explosion. |
| Another resident, Wang Dong, 55, said the explosions appeared to travel through the sewer pipes. “The whole sky lit up like it was daytime,” he said. | Another resident, Wang Dong, 55, said the explosions appeared to travel through the sewer pipes. “The whole sky lit up like it was daytime,” he said. |
| Xinhua said the initial blast originated at a warehouse in the Binhai district of Tianjin around 11:30 p.m. and set off another explosion 30 minutes later that was even more powerful — roughly the equivalent of 21 tons of TNT, the authorities said. | Xinhua said the initial blast originated at a warehouse in the Binhai district of Tianjin around 11:30 p.m. and set off another explosion 30 minutes later that was even more powerful — roughly the equivalent of 21 tons of TNT, the authorities said. |
| The police in Tianjin said the explosion took place at a warehouse owned by Rui Hai International Logistics, a private company that was licensed to handle hazardous cargo. According to People’s Daily, the company’s top official was detained for questioning. Company officials could not immediately be reached early Thursday. | The police in Tianjin said the explosion took place at a warehouse owned by Rui Hai International Logistics, a private company that was licensed to handle hazardous cargo. According to People’s Daily, the company’s top official was detained for questioning. Company officials could not immediately be reached early Thursday. |
| The precise nature of the materials that exploded was not made clear, and there was no indication whether the blast was accidental or intentional. | The precise nature of the materials that exploded was not made clear, and there was no indication whether the blast was accidental or intentional. |
| Early reports suggested that firefighters had responded to a blaze about 40 minutes before the first explosion. | Early reports suggested that firefighters had responded to a blaze about 40 minutes before the first explosion. |
| Photographs posted on Chinese social media showed the skeletal remains of buildings and row upon row of incinerated Volkswagen Beetles. | Photographs posted on Chinese social media showed the skeletal remains of buildings and row upon row of incinerated Volkswagen Beetles. |
| The injured, many of them suffering lacerations caused by flying glass and debris, flooded local hospitals; at the hospital closest to the scene, Taida Medical Center, emergency workers set up tents in a parking lot to treat the wounded while dozens of anxious people awaited word on injured relatives. | The injured, many of them suffering lacerations caused by flying glass and debris, flooded local hospitals; at the hospital closest to the scene, Taida Medical Center, emergency workers set up tents in a parking lot to treat the wounded while dozens of anxious people awaited word on injured relatives. |
| At one point, a man who was told that his son had just died began wailing, and the crowd went silent. “God, why are you so cruel?” he yelled. “Son, I want to go with you.” | At one point, a man who was told that his son had just died began wailing, and the crowd went silent. “God, why are you so cruel?” he yelled. “Son, I want to go with you.” |
| As daylight broke Thursday, an enormous black plume of smoke hung over the horizon. Residents of a newly constructed apartment complex not far from the port gathered on the street wearing disposable face masks as injured people, just released from the hospital, hobbled down the street bewildered. | As daylight broke Thursday, an enormous black plume of smoke hung over the horizon. Residents of a newly constructed apartment complex not far from the port gathered on the street wearing disposable face masks as injured people, just released from the hospital, hobbled down the street bewildered. |
| The pavement was carpeted with glass; up above, every window in the complex of 33-story buildings had been blown in, and curtains fluttered eerily through the jagged openings. The tires of cars on the street were flat, and the side of a shipping container was pressed in as if a giant had pushed it in with a thumb. | The pavement was carpeted with glass; up above, every window in the complex of 33-story buildings had been blown in, and curtains fluttered eerily through the jagged openings. The tires of cars on the street were flat, and the side of a shipping container was pressed in as if a giant had pushed it in with a thumb. |
| Across the street, a row of temporary prefabricated structures typically used on Chinese construction sites was shredded. Su Zhaoqing, 65, a construction worker, said he had been sleeping on the lower level of a bunk bed when the entire building collapsed, causing scores of injuries among the more than 2,000 men who were crammed into the structure. “Everything just fell on my face, but I managed to crawl out,” said Mr. Su, whose head was wrapped in a blood-soaked bandage. | Across the street, a row of temporary prefabricated structures typically used on Chinese construction sites was shredded. Su Zhaoqing, 65, a construction worker, said he had been sleeping on the lower level of a bunk bed when the entire building collapsed, causing scores of injuries among the more than 2,000 men who were crammed into the structure. “Everything just fell on my face, but I managed to crawl out,” said Mr. Su, whose head was wrapped in a blood-soaked bandage. |
| Police officers cordoned off entry to the blast area, and security guards prevented residents from returning to their homes. | Police officers cordoned off entry to the blast area, and security guards prevented residents from returning to their homes. |
| The Beijing News reported that more than 400 Tianjin residents had lined up to donate blood at the Fifth Center Hospital. A taxi driver taped a message to his rear window offering rides to the families of the victims. | The Beijing News reported that more than 400 Tianjin residents had lined up to donate blood at the Fifth Center Hospital. A taxi driver taped a message to his rear window offering rides to the families of the victims. |
| According to the China Earthquake Administration’s official account on Weibo, a web messaging network similar to Twitter, the first explosion registered as a magnitude 2.3. It said a second explosion was measured at magnitude 2.9. | According to the China Earthquake Administration’s official account on Weibo, a web messaging network similar to Twitter, the first explosion registered as a magnitude 2.3. It said a second explosion was measured at magnitude 2.9. |