
Hundreds hurt as huge explosions rock Chinese city
THE Chinese city of Tianjin has been rocked by multiple huge explosions.
The explosions reportedly began at around 11:30pm local time in the Binhai district.
Early reports from local media suggest that they may have been at a gas or oil storage facility, but these are unconfirmed.
State broadcaster China Central Television reported that the blast had erupted in a shipment of explosives.
About 300 to 400 people are reportedly injured, although exact figures are still unclear.
More photos of the massive explosion in Tianjin #China right now
pic.twitter.com/UMEqO6hSGu
— Gissur Simonarson (@GissiSim) August 12, 2015
Two firefighters are also currently reported missing, and there are 48 fire engines on the scene.
It is not yet known what caused the explosion, but videos from the scene show a dramatic fireball exploding near the site of a fire.
It is still unclear exactly what buildings and how many people were affected by the explosion.
Residents report feeling a huge shockwave after the explosion.
Footage from Tianjin also shows images of a huge cloud in the sky after the explosion, and some local residents are posting pictures of shattered windows and injured people.
Hundreds of people have reportedly been injured & many have been evacuated #explosion #China http://t.co/k8I7IhYBQ4 pic.twitter.com/Lh0ywmvdEF
— Paul Henry (@PaulHenryShow) August 12, 2015
Tianjin in a major port and industrial area, around 70 miles from the capital Beijing and home to around 15.2 million people.
