15 Aug 2015

Tianjin air being tested after explosions

11:46 am on 15 August 2015

China's state media says chemical specialists from the military have arrived in Tianjin to test the air quality after the huge explosions that have killed at least 55 people, including many firefighters.

The scene in the city was one of utter devastation, with thousands of torched cars and burnt-out shells of port buildings, and smoke still rising into the air.

The fires were still burning in Tianjin two days later

The fires were still burning in Tianjin two days later Photo: AFP

Two days on, the fire was still burning amidst containers holding an unknown mix of dangerous, highly toxic materials - and fire crews were still removing bodies.

Fire fighters are working in carefully controlled shifts to minimise exposure, but Chinese authorities insisted there was no wider public risk, and monitoring stations showed the air around the site is safe.

But the big questions remain unanswered, including the big one: why were warehouses containing such dangerous chemicals built so close to people's homes?

The Chinese government said the priority was to put the fire out, and a team of more than 200 chemical and biological weapons experts have been brought in to advise on the way forward.

TIANJIN, Aug. 14, 2015 () -- Soldiers of the Tianjin Garrison wait to enter the core area of explosion site in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 14, 2015. An explosion, which occurred Wednesday night at a warehouse in Binhai, has left 50 people dead and 701 others injured. (/Wang Haobo) (lfj)

Soldiers of the Tianjin Garrison wait to enter the explosion site Photo: AFP

The government has ordered a nationwide check on dangerous chemicals and explosives following the explosions, and China's cabinet also ordered officials to crack down on illegal activities to ensure safety - while the operators of the Tianjin site have been accused of violating safety rules.

Officials admitted that because of the chaos on the scene, authorities still didn't know exactly what hazardous materials were being stored in the warehouses. One expert told a press conference in Tianjin that the air and water there was safe.

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