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Common Dreams reports:
The death toll from this week's fiery explosions at the Chinese port of Tianjin climbed above 100 on Saturday, while confusion spread over whether authorities had ordered the evacuation of everyone within two miles amid fears of chemical contamination.
[...] Anti-chemical warfare troops have entered the site, according to the BBC.
[...] Two Chinese news outlets, including the state-run The Paper, reported that the warehouse was storing 700 tons of sodium cyanide--70 times more than it should have been holding at one time--and that authorities were rushing to clean it up.
Sodium cyanide is a toxic chemical that can form a flammable gas upon contact with water.
[...] "The company that owned the warehouse where the blasts originated, Rui Hai International Logistics, appears to have violated Chinese law by operating close to apartment buildings and worker dormitories", journalist Andrew Jacobs reports for [NYTimes] (paywall). "Residents say they were unaware that the company was handling dangerous materials."
About 6,300 people have been displaced by the blasts, with around 721 injured and 33 in serious condition, Xinhua news agency said. At least 21 firefighters are reported dead.
Related: Large Warehouse Explosions Injure 300-400 in Tianjin, China
For the adulterated baby formula abuses of 2008 (4 infants dead; 12,892 hospitalized), 2 people were executed. One wonders what will come of this case.
(Score: 2) by zocalo on Sunday August 16 2015, @02:52PM
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
(Score: 3, Interesting) by frojack on Monday August 17 2015, @01:27AM
What about the fire fighters?
Early indications are that their use of water on a material that combusts more vigorously in water. Should they have known better?
This same thing happened in West City, Texas when fire fighters turned their hoses on a small fire and caused a huge explosion. Because of death of a lot of firefighters, the review went out of their way to not blame them directly and instead pin it on a lack of training at all levels of government.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by Whoever on Monday August 17 2015, @02:29AM
A material that should not have been there? How were they supposed to know that it was there?
(Score: 2) by frojack on Monday August 17 2015, @02:39AM
There is no indication that the material was not supposed to be there. Where did you read that?, Or did you just make it up?
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by Whoever on Monday August 17 2015, @03:05AM
oh [theguardian.com], really? [dw.com] From this latter link:
Perhaps you should do some investigation of your own [lmgtfy.com]before accusing people of making stuff up because of your own ignorance? It's not that difficult.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Monday August 17 2015, @04:43AM
Maybe try reading TFS, if not TFA:
Two Chinese news outlets, including the state-run The Paper, reported that the warehouse was storing 700 tons of sodium cyanide--70 times more than it should have been holding at one time
So CLEARLY they had approval to have SOME Sodium Cyanide, and simply had too much. Approved, by the government.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by zocalo on Monday August 17 2015, @06:49AM
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
(Score: 2) by moondrake on Monday August 17 2015, @02:52PM
well, lets not jump to conclusions. Even IF they had a license (its not clear from that link, perhaps it just means that you can store up to 10 tons if you have approval), the firefighters may have had no knowledge of this. In general (as in labs where I work) storage of dangerous goods has all kind of string attached, but one significant one is clear labeling on doors and cabinets. This because when the building goes up in flame, people trying to put out the fire can make a sensible response (use water in this area or not, walk into this room even when there is minor fire, or simply clear the floor, etc etc).
Even when NaCN is present, it should usually stored in a safe way (do not know about Chinese regulations related to this however). If it was not stored properly, chances that things go wrong go up drastically.
When things like this happen, you generally are not going to file a 10 page document to your local government office asking them to provide you a list of the licenses they have.
This does not mean nobody has made a mistake, but it is silly to assume without more detailed knowledge that it was their own fault.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Monday August 17 2015, @03:10AM
Well, either you use the firefighting materials that are sanctioned for whatever they had officially stored, or...what? If their records are lies how are you supposed to know what they have on the premises?
If they supposedly had 1x of the stuff e.g. in a single building out of 8 and they really had 70x the stuff spread across all 8 buildings how are you supposed to know better?
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2) by frojack on Monday August 17 2015, @04:49AM
How would I know, its in CHINA for gotsake!
In this country, storage of dangerous materials has to be placarded, and fire departments have to be notified.
http://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/hazmat/placards/ [environmentalchemistry.com]
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.