Latest statistics on the death toll after the Tianjin Port explosion were released during an Aug 19 press conference: The death toll now stands at 114 with 13 victims unidentified, 65 people remain missing and 674 in hospital.
It was confirmed by NIU Yueguang, Deputy Director of the Fire Department, Ministry of Public Security, that the hazardous chemicals stored or stacked at the explosion site amounted to approximately 3000 tons, including 800 tons of ammonium nitrate, 500 tons of potassium nitrate, 700 tons of sodium cyanide, and 40 other miscellaneous chemicals. Staffs from Ruihai Logistics have recalled seeing containers of class 3 chemicals (flammable liquids) placed in the arrival area on fire. Based on this, a theory has been developed: Storage of excessive amounts of chemicals in tank containers beyond normal working capacity may have increased the internal pressures, which opened the valve and resulted in spontaneous combustion as in contact with air. Heat and ground vibrations further triggered the explosion of ammonium nitrate stacks. Ammonium nitrate is used as an explosive in mining, and sometimes in improvised explosive devices.
According to reports sent back by frontline journalists, on the morning of Aug 18, the level of sodium cyanide and neurotoxins in the air in a 500-meter radius around the explosion center still exceeded the maximum detection range of the analytical instruments used. The statistics of air, water and soil outside the cordoned-off area are up to the standard. However the rain that hit Tianjin after the disaster poses more complexity environmental risks.
While the world awaits the release of the final accident investigation report, more breaking news came on Aug 18 afternoon with news that YANG Dongliang, Director of the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS), is being investigated over serious violations of Party discipline (corruption in another word) and Chinese law. YANG had served as vice mayor of Tianjin Municipality for 11 years before he was appointed the chief of China’s top work safety authority in May, 2012. It has been asserted that the success and prosperity of chemical projects in Binhai New Area, and even the whole municipality, owes much to his efforts. In addition he is heavily linked to state-owned petrochemical giants like Sinopec and Petro China.
Further problems uncovered since the Tianjin explosion include:
Real estate developers and residents affected by the accident were unaware of the existence of Ruihai’s hazardous chemical warehouses.
The actual amount of hazardous chemicals Ruihai is operating with outweighs the estimation in its environmental assessment report and the data it submitted to local environmental bureaus.
The work safety administration tried to shift the blame onto other administrations like the transportation administration and port administration.
The local governmental departments and enterprises have mixed functions in terms of the hazardous chemical management. Some play the role of both supervisor and supervisee.
