Fiery blasts in Tianjin
A series of explosions have gone off in a warehouse for hazardous material in the northern Chinese port city. Dozens have been killed and hundreds injured in the blaze.
Beginnings of a blaze
The quick succession of blasts ripped through the warehouse at 11:30 pm local time (16 30 UTC) on Wednesday, according to the Xinhua News Agency. The origin of the fire remains unknown.
Magnitude equal to 21 tons of TNT
The first eruption had the same magnitude as detonating three tons of dynamite, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. The second larger explosion was the equivalent to 21 tons of the explosive.
Counting the casualties
A policeman blocks the road to an evacuated residential area next to the smoldering industrial complex. Forty-four people died and 520 were reported injured following the explosions.
'Fireballs' and shattered glass
Debris from the explosions, including shards of shattered glass, were found three kilometers (1.6 miles) away from the site. Witnesses also described fireballs, the Chinese media reported.
Taming the fire
Firefighters battle the blaze fueled by flammable goods in the Binhai new industrial district in the port city. Twelve firefighters have perished trying to quell the flames.