SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Breaking: Massive Explosions Rock China's Tianjin
At least two major explosions tore through Tianjin in eastern China on Wednesday night. According to Xinhua, the shockwaves from the blasts "were felt kilometers away" and shattered windows.
Chinese media reports indicated that the blasts occurred around 11:30 p.m. local time. People's Daily tweeted that the "quake" from the blast was "felt 10 km away." In a separate tweet, People's Daily cited the China Earthquake Network Center as saying that two explosions had occurred within 30 seconds, one magnitude 2.3 ML (or Richter magnitude) and [the] other magnitude 2.9 ML.
The number of casualties is still unknown; Xinhua's official report (issued at around 3 a.m. local time) noted "at least 50" people injured, while the official Twitter account of People's Daily said a local hospital "has received 300-400 injured." No deaths have been confirmed as of this writing, but two firefighters have been reported missing.
Update: People's Daily is now reporting 13 dead.
There were conflicting reports as to the cause of the blast. Initial speculation suggested the cause was gas or oil-related, possibly connected to the liquid natural gas (LNG) terminal in Tianjin. By around 3 a.m. local time, official Chinese media sources were reporting that the explosion started at a warehouse in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin, where "dangerous goods" were being stored.
CCTV had the most specific information, citing the Tianjin Public Security Bureau as saying that the explosion occurred at the Tianjin Dongjiang Port Rui Hai International Logistics Co. Ltd, "which handles the transport of hazardous goods." Xing Zheming of CCTV America said the first explosion involved flammable materials; the second involved oil.
Update: People's Daily reports that a representative from Rui Hai is being questioned in connection with the explosion.
(Score: 0, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2015, @11:37PM
(Begin cheesy commercial. overly enthusiastic Chinese salesman pitching services)
Hey! You have exprosive? (pans to pile of loose dynamite on floor)
You have nat-tuwal gas or other ting that go boom or poison? (pans to rusty, leaking tanks with hazardous/flammable/explosive warning labels while smoking man tends to them)
Then call Tianjin Dongjiang Port Rui Hai International Logistics Co! We store anyting dangewos for you!
See owa secure facirity on port, comprete with secuwity god (pans to sleeping chinaman in ramshackle booth next to gate secured with duct tape).
We move safery all good! (shot in warehouse, forklift collides with stanchion, pallet with container crashes to ground spilling liquid that causes workers nearby to collapse)
We package good right here. fast fast fast! (smoking chinaman shown banging long nails into shoddy, crooked looking wooden crate with fragile & poison sticker on it)
We keep dane-ger-ous good safe for you! No wait! You call now! (commercial ends with video of warehouse explosion seen in news video)
(Score: 3, Funny) by Tork on Wednesday August 12 2015, @11:52PM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 4, Funny) by c0lo on Thursday August 13 2015, @12:48AM
A new peak in job relocation in China: they manage to do it to themselves better than any terrorist can.
(Yes, I know, a callous attempt of a joke, maybe not even a good one.
I'm in a grim mood this morning, feel free to mod as troll)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford