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| Hundreds injured after huge explosion in Chinese port city of Tianjin | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of people have been injured by a massive explosion at an industrial port in Tianjin in north-east China, caused by a shipment of explosives that went up in flames. | Hundreds of people have been injured by a massive explosion at an industrial port in Tianjin in north-east China, caused by a shipment of explosives that went up in flames. |
| The explosion happened just before midnight local time (5.00pm GMT), but has caused secondary explosions and fires in the surrounding area, Chinese state television reported on their online microblogging site. The Xinhua news agency said a deafening bang was heard as flames lit up the sky, sending dust dozens of metres into the air. | The explosion happened just before midnight local time (5.00pm GMT), but has caused secondary explosions and fires in the surrounding area, Chinese state television reported on their online microblogging site. The Xinhua news agency said a deafening bang was heard as flames lit up the sky, sending dust dozens of metres into the air. |
| Three or four hundred people arrived at the Tianjin harbour hospital after at least two devastating blasts, the Beijing News reported, quoting an unnamed medic who works there. Some were brought in ambulances but many arrived on their own, after emergency numbers were overwhelmed with calls. | Three or four hundred people arrived at the Tianjin harbour hospital after at least two devastating blasts, the Beijing News reported, quoting an unnamed medic who works there. Some were brought in ambulances but many arrived on their own, after emergency numbers were overwhelmed with calls. |
| An employee of another hospital also said the emergency department was full, and staff are trying to contact all their doctors, the paper reported. | An employee of another hospital also said the emergency department was full, and staff are trying to contact all their doctors, the paper reported. |
| “The hospital cannot count how many patients we have received – there are too many of them and many of them have burn injuries,” said one doctor at another hospital, who had been called back from a conference in Beijing to treat the injured. | “The hospital cannot count how many patients we have received – there are too many of them and many of them have burn injuries,” said one doctor at another hospital, who had been called back from a conference in Beijing to treat the injured. |
| Six firefighting teams had been sent to battle the blaze, and had lost contact with two people fighting the fire. Six others were being treated for minor injuries, Chinese state TV reported. | Six firefighting teams had been sent to battle the blaze, and had lost contact with two people fighting the fire. Six others were being treated for minor injuries, Chinese state TV reported. |
| Videos posted on social media showed a pillar of flame that dwarfed nearby high-rise buildings, and shook homes several miles away. | Videos posted on social media showed a pillar of flame that dwarfed nearby high-rise buildings, and shook homes several miles away. |
| Two explosions within 30 seconds were so strong that they registered with a nearby earthquake monitoring centre, the official People’s Daily reported on twitter. | Two explosions within 30 seconds were so strong that they registered with a nearby earthquake monitoring centre, the official People’s Daily reported on twitter. |
| The blasts ripped offices and homes apart, and sent chunks of masonry flying through the air, pictures showed. One car was crushed by the debris, another was half buried in a crater in the road. | The blasts ripped offices and homes apart, and sent chunks of masonry flying through the air, pictures showed. One car was crushed by the debris, another was half buried in a crater in the road. |
| #Tianjin: Hospital has received 300-400 injuries. 2 fire fighter lost contact, 6 injured. 38 fire engines on scene. pic.twitter.com/ZN11gpdra3 | #Tianjin: Hospital has received 300-400 injuries. 2 fire fighter lost contact, 6 injured. 38 fire engines on scene. pic.twitter.com/ZN11gpdra3 |
| Dazed and bloodied victims ran from the flames, one covered almost head to foot in blood, wearing only his underwear, pictures showed. Another carried a child wrapped in a blanket, another with a stool over his head as a shield from falling debris. | Dazed and bloodied victims ran from the flames, one covered almost head to foot in blood, wearing only his underwear, pictures showed. Another carried a child wrapped in a blanket, another with a stool over his head as a shield from falling debris. |
| It was not immediately clear how close to residential areas the centre of the explosion was, or how wide the radius of damage, however. | It was not immediately clear how close to residential areas the centre of the explosion was, or how wide the radius of damage, however. |
| Tianjin, a city of 7.5 million people, is a base for refining and petrochemical industries. | Tianjin, a city of 7.5 million people, is a base for refining and petrochemical industries. |