The explosions late Wednesday knocked off doors of buildings in the area and shattered windows up to several kilometers away.
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Police in Tianjin said an initial blast took place at shipping containers in a warehouse for hazardous materials owned by Ruihai Logistics, a company that says it is properly approved to handle such materials. The blast may have been caused by flammable and explosive items in a container terminal.
At least seven people are confirmed dead and 300 people were injured in the blast, according to People’s Daily. The explosion happened after they arrived and damaged buildings and infrastructure.
The state-run Xinhua news agency reported the explosion tore through a warehouse storing “dangerous goods” in the Binhai New Area. It says the firefighters were combing the neighborhood for possible injured residents. The initial blast triggered secondary explosions, causing local tremors, Xinhua said.
Two firefighters called to the scene were missing, Xinhua reported, as 10 emergency teams and 35 fire trucks battled the blaze. “I’ve never even thought I’d see such a thing”.
At the city’s TEDA hospital, close to the blast site, Zhang Hongjie, 50, sat with his head wrapped in bandages, his arms covered with small cuts from flying glass.
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China has a dismal industrial safety record as some factory and warehouse owners evade regulations to save money and pay off corrupt officials to look the other way. It is one of China’s more modern cities and is connected to the capital by a high speed rail line.
