Tianjin Explosion Aug 13 2015

Flammable goods at a container terminal in northern China’s Tianjin municipality exploded at about 11:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday (11:30 a.m. ET) shattering windows and causing injuries according to state media reports.

The number of casualties from the blast in the city’s Binhai New Area is unknown China Central Television reported on its news app, citing the local fire department. Injured people have been hospitalized it said. One report put the number injured higher than 400. The Daily Mirror reported the injury toll at more than 1000.

Although there are no confirmed reports of deaths so far some of the graphic images coming out of the city imply that the death count will be far higher than zero.

The fire that caused the explosion is now under control, the Chinese Xinhau news service reports.

“At the time of the explosion the ground was shaking fiercely, nearby cars and buildings were shaking, a few buildings’ glass all broke and everyone started to run,” Ms Yang, an eyewitness, was reported telling the local media by the BBC. “Now all the residents are gathered in the street.”

The China Earthquake Networks Center said on its Weibo microblog account that it recorded two explosions, with the second one larger. Local residents said windows and fish tanks were shattered, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Flames lit the sky and dust was blown “dozens of meters” into the air, Xinhua said.

Tianjin is a major port city near Beijing, and is being developed into “China’s answer to Manhattan” with plans to make it a major financial centre. 7.5 million people live in the city.

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