Firefighters attired in chemical protective suits work at the explosion site to extinguish fires on August 15 (XINHUA)
The rescue
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li have urged all-out efforts to save the injured and minimize casualties.
On August 13, a team of 214 military experts specialized in handling nuclear and biochemical materials were sent to Tianjin. These personnel were sourced from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Beijing Military Area Command, which also sent 45 medics to set up clinics 3 km from the blast site.
In addition, the Binhai New Area military department has organized 130 military personnel to assist with rescue measures, including the operation of drones and piloting helicopters to observe the site and douse flames with water.
On August 15, specialized anti-chemical warfare troops from National Nuclear Biochemical Emergency Rescue Team entered the core area of the blast site to search for possible survivors. There, they rescued a man who was found 50 meters away from the point of the explosion.
Measures have also been taken to prevent secondary disasters, such as using hydrogen peroxide to reduce the amount of sodium cyanide released from the chemicals, sending a taskforce to locate and measure the area contaminated by sodium cyanide, and prevent its spread into sewage. At the time of writing, no rescuer has fallen ill from chemical contamination.
To assist with rescue and cleaning-up operations, all people within a 3-km radius of the blast site have been required to evacuate the area.
On August 16, Premier Li arrived in Tianjin and paid his respects to those young firefighters who lost their lives in the disaster.
"They are all heroes and deserve the respect of the whole of society," said Li, while visiting a brigade of the Tianjin fire department.
In the explosion's aftermath, once things had been brought under control, some taxi drivers and private car owners were quick to volunteer to transport the wounded to hospitals. Hotels in the area also provided free accommodation to those residents displaced by the explosion, while other good samaritans lined up to donate blood for the wounded at the Tianjin Blood Center.
To further assist with accommodation, the No. 2 Elementary School of the Binhai New District Development Zone of Tianjin became a temporary settlement where around 1,000 residents have been relocated.
Hu Jianmin, a 60-year-old Tianjin resident, who lives more than 10 km away from the blast site, volunteered to deliver fruit and vegetables to people settled at the school.
One of his friend's relatives was badly wounded from the blast and is still unconscious in the hospital.
