Seven or eight explosions rocked the blast site at Tianjin on Saturday, prompting armed police to evacuate residents living within a three-kilometer radius.
Hundreds of evacuees already housed at a temporary homeless shelter in a nearby primary school were also being moved away, amid fears that highly toxic chemical sodium cyanide discovered at the site could lead to more casualties.
Wednesday’s double blast at the chemical warehouse in the Chinese port city has killed 85 people and injured over 700.
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RT reports: Fires broke out at the blast site in the Chinese port city at 11:40 a.m. local time Saturday, according to state news agency Xinhua. Seven or eight blasts from three separate locations were reportedly heard at the scene.
Following the fire, police began evacuating those within a three-kilometer radius, saying they were acting on “orders from higher authorities,” Beijing News reported.
No people or vehicle[s] [are] allowed within the area,” a police officer said.
The new explosions come just three days after two blasts at the chemical warehouse left at least 85 people dead, more than 700 injured, and thousands homeless. At least 21 firefighters are among the dead, making the disaster the deadliest for Chinese firefighters in more than 60 years.
One of the blasts was equivalent to 20 tons of TNT exploding.
Officials have not determined the full list of chemicals at the site. However, state media reported that there are large amounts of sodium cyanide present, which is combustible upon contact with water.
Meanwhile, relatives of those affected by the explosions are demanding answers. Family members of missing firefighters stormed a government news conference, insisting on information about their loved ones.
Niamh Harris
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