August 12, 2015

Massive Explosions Hit Tianjin

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


Update, August 14, 2015, 4:38 p.m. EST: Reports say 700 tons of cyanide was stored at the Rui Hai warehouse where the fire began. The death toll has climbed to at least 56 deaths.

Update, August 13, 2015, 8:00 a.m. EST: At least 50 deaths and more than 700 people wounded have been confirmed.

A large series of explosions erupted in the city of Tianjin, China, one of the country’s largest industrial and shipping centers, around 11:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday. Initial reports from state-run media indicate the blast was accidental and caused by “explosive material in a container.”

Images and footage of the explosions have been posted on social media and shared below:

Roughly 90 miles from Beijing, Tianjin is the fourth largest city in China and has a population of over 7 million people. One state-run media estimated 300 to 400 people have been hospitalized.

This is a breaking news post. We will update as news develops.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

December is make or break for us. A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. A strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength. A weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

The December 31 deadline is closing in fast. To reach our $400,000 goal, we need readers who’ve never given before to join the ranks of MoJo donors. And we need our steadfast supporters to give again today—any amount.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do.

That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

December is make or break for us. A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. A strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength. A weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

The December 31 deadline is closing in fast. To reach our $400,000 goal, we need readers who’ve never given before to join the ranks of MoJo donors. And we need our steadfast supporters to give again today—any amount.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do.

That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate