China explosions death

China explosions: Tianjin blasts death roll reaches 85, state media says, as chemical experts question firefighters' actions

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The death toll from two huge explosions that tore through an industrial area in Tianjin, China, has risen to 85, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Among the dead were 21 firefighters, Xinhua said, calling it possibly the highest death toll among fire crews since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.Shockwaves from the blasts late on Wednesday were felt by residents in apartment blocks kilometres away in the city of 15 million people.

The report said 721 were hospitalised as of Friday night, with 25 critical and 33 in a serious condition.

The explosions at city's port district — the world's 10th largest — were so large they were seen by satellites in space and registered on earthquake sensors.

Firefighters may have contributed to explosions: chemicals expert

China defended firefighters who initially hosed water on a burning warehouse, a response foreign experts said could have contributed to the explosions.

The warehouse, designed to house dangerous and toxic chemicals, was storing mainly ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and calcium carbide at the time, according to police.

Xinhua said several containers in the warehouse caught fire before the explosions.

Chemical safety experts said calcium carbide reacts with water to create acetylene, a highly explosive gas.

An explosion could be caused if firefighters sprayed the calcium carbide with water, they said.

David Leggett, a chemical safety expert based in California, said the acetylene explosion could have detonated the ammonium nitrate.

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