Blasts shatter economic hub

Firefighters return from the warehouse area, where they were involved in rescue operations.[ZHU XINGXIN/CHINA DAILY]

Other developments

· President Xi Jinping ordered authorities in Tianjin to spare no effort to treat the injured, search for the missing and contain the fire. Premier Li Keqiang vowed a thorough investigation and ensured open and transparent disclosure to the public.

· Senior managers of the logistics company where the blasts occurred were being held by police.

· Healthcare workers specializing in blast injuries and burns arrived from Beijing and were treating the wounded. Doctors said most of the patients suffered burns, bruises, bone fractures and injuries related to shock waves.

· A team of 214military personnel specializing in the handling of nuclear and biochemical materials arrived, and so far more than 1,000 firefighters, 151 fire engines and a drone have been sent to the scene.

· The Tianjin fire department said the fire was contained but will take a long time to fully extinguish because of the complex composition of the chemical elements. No more explosions were expected.