Massive explosion reported in Chinese city of Tianjin

[anka]

Don't know if it might be connected but this morning at 8:28am (Thu 13th) there have been two explosions in the ethylene unit of one of the biggest chemical plant in the Czech Republic, Unipetrol, not far from my hometown.

Allegedly the cause was a collapse of cooling system, followed by explosion of propylene. There are no recordings of explosions, only videos and pictures of the subsequent fire. All employees, about 1000, have been evacuated, miraculously no one died, only some injuries of fire fighters involved at the scene.

http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ct24/regiony/1566401-k-unipetrolu-v-litvinove-jedou-hasici-z-celeho-kraje-hori-a-hrozi-explozi

Edit: another video here
http://www.novinky.cz/krimi/377586-v-litvinovskem-unipetrolu-po-dvou-explozich-vypukl-pozar.html

Edit 2: Some close-up pics
https://www.facebook.com/docela.divadlo/posts/10203903373105200

 

[Gary]

Yeah. although we can't really rely on the official explanation. Was talking to Niall and he mentioned the similarity to the West, Texas fertilizer planet explosion a couple of years ago that, similar to what is reported from Tianjin, involved a smaller explosion and fire first that firefighters were tackling when the second massive explosion occurred. We can't rule out the space rock hypothesis.

Well, for what it's worth, first video that was made public didn't have the footage of the initial small fire, so the impression indeed was as if a meteorite has fallen, especially with all the fireballs bursting around. Who knows, maybe this remark of a witness "All of a sudden there was a flash of big red light, and a big sound” was about the first explosion and not the second one.

I thought this incident was quite similar to the West Texas fertilizer plant explosions too, the smaller explosion/fire preceding the massive explosion.

What has also been reported today are the high levels of toxic fumes at the scene:

Sulfur oxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, all products of combustion, have been found in the air, Xinhua reported. Plumes of white and yellow smoke, which may be an indicator of toxic hydrogen sulfide, were seen rising over the area.

http://www.sott.net/article/300118-Toxic-fumes-up-to-half-a-kilometer-away-detected-from-Tianjin-blast-area

Given the apparent increase of outgassing (methane, hydrogen sulphide etc) which are likely causing at least some of the extensive wildfires around the world (particularly in Canada), perhaps some outgassing occurred here also?

There does seem to have been a significant increase in explosions recently; from manholes, cars, boats, houses to bigger industrial type plants etc. Just as atmospheric electric discharge events appear to be increasing too! Take lightning as just one manifestation - there sure appears to be a big increase in this electrical phenomenon.

Also, considering the devaluation of the yuan over the past couple of days, and the on-going geo-political shenanigans - could this have been a space weapon type 'warning shot'?

 

[Anthony]

Yeah. although we can't really rely on the official explanation. Was talking to Niall and he mentioned the similarity to the West, Texas fertilizer planet explosion a couple of years ago that, similar to what is reported from Tianjin, involved a smaller explosion and fire first that firefighters were tackling when the second massive explosion occurred. We can't rule out the space rock hypothesis.

Well, for what it's worth, first video that was made public didn't have the footage of the initial small fire, so the impression indeed was as if a meteorite has fallen, especially with all the fireballs bursting around. Who knows, maybe this remark of a witness "All of a sudden there was a flash of big red light, and a big sound” was about the first explosion and not the second one.

I thought this incident was quite similar to the West Texas fertilizer plant explosions too, the smaller explosion/fire preceding the massive explosion.

What has also been reported today are the high levels of toxic fumes at the scene:

Sulfur oxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, all products of combustion, have been found in the air, Xinhua reported. Plumes of white and yellow smoke, which may be an indicator of toxic hydrogen sulfide, were seen rising over the area.

http://www.sott.net/article/300118-Toxic-fumes-up-to-half-a-kilometer-away-detected-from-Tianjin-blast-area

Given the apparent increase of outgassing (methane, hydrogen sulphide etc) which are likely causing at least some of the extensive wildfires around the world (particularly in Canada), perhaps some outgassing occurred here also?

There does seem to have been a significant increase in explosions recently; from manholes, cars, boats, houses to bigger industrial type plants etc. Just as atmospheric electric discharge events appear to be increasing too! Take lightning as just one manifestation - there sure appears to be a big increase in this electrical phenomenon.

Also, considering the devaluation of the yuan over the past couple of days, and the on-going geo-political shenanigans - could this have been a space weapon type 'warning shot'?

Considering their usual modus operandi i.e. MH17 it doesn't seem likely, they seem to prefer to try to pin the carnage on the targeted government. Besides, they can't engage both Russia and China militarily. They're crazy for sure but not that much.

 

[mabar]

Yeah. although we can't really rely on the official explanation. Was talking to Niall and he mentioned the similarity to the West, Texas fertilizer planet explosion a couple of years ago that, similar to what is reported from Tianjin, involved a smaller explosion and fire first that firefighters were tackling when the second massive explosion occurred. We can't rule out the space rock hypothesis.

Well, for what it's worth, first video that was made public didn't have the footage of the initial small fire, so the impression indeed was as if a meteorite has fallen, especially with all the fireballs bursting around. Who knows, maybe this remark of a witness "All of a sudden there was a flash of big red light, and a big sound” was about the first explosion and not the second one.

I thought this incident was quite similar to the West Texas fertilizer plant explosions too, the smaller explosion/fire preceding the massive explosion.

What has also been reported today are the high levels of toxic fumes at the scene:

Sulfur oxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, all products of combustion, have been found in the air, Xinhua reported. Plumes of white and yellow smoke, which may be an indicator of toxic hydrogen sulfide, were seen rising over the area.

http://www.sott.net/article/300118-Toxic-fumes-up-to-half-a-kilometer-away-detected-from-Tianjin-blast-area

Given the apparent increase of outgassing (methane, hydrogen sulphide etc) which are likely causing at least some of the extensive wildfires around the world (particularly in Canada), perhaps some outgassing occurred here also?

There does seem to have been a significant increase in explosions recently; from manholes, cars, boats, houses to bigger industrial type plants etc. Just as atmospheric electric discharge events appear to be increasing too! Take lightning as just one manifestation - there sure appears to be a big increase in this electrical phenomenon.

Also, considering the devaluation of the yuan over the past couple of days, and the on-going geo-political shenanigans - could this have been a space weapon type 'warning shot'?

Saw this video (several footages) at passing minute 2:14 --like very few nanosecons?, it can be seen the-at least is different, or seem to be different from the layer behind of smoke of the first explosion, white kind smoke coming from the left side, and just immediately (within the same second 14) the second explosion -the bigger one?, I think I saw something else, but this computer is not that precise and neither the monitor and, I am not that sure, there is also the possibility that my eyes had been flashed already ....
can you see it? what you do think?¨

http://<iframe width="560" height="...Ag" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Cosmos]

Yeah. although we can't really rely on the official explanation. Was talking to Niall and he mentioned the similarity to the West, Texas fertilizer planet explosion a couple of years ago that, similar to what is reported from Tianjin, involved a smaller explosion and fire first that firefighters were tackling when the second massive explosion occurred. We can't rule out the space rock hypothesis.

Well, for what it's worth, first video that was made public didn't have the footage of the initial small fire, so the impression indeed was as if a meteorite has fallen, especially with all the fireballs bursting around. Who knows, maybe this remark of a witness "All of a sudden there was a flash of big red light, and a big sound” was about the first explosion and not the second one.

I thought this incident was quite similar to the West Texas fertilizer plant explosions too, the smaller explosion/fire preceding the massive explosion.

What has also been reported today are the high levels of toxic fumes at the scene:

Sulfur oxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, all products of combustion, have been found in the air, Xinhua reported. Plumes of white and yellow smoke, which may be an indicator of toxic hydrogen sulfide, were seen rising over the area.

http://www.sott.net/article/300118-Toxic-fumes-up-to-half-a-kilometer-away-detected-from-Tianjin-blast-area

Given the apparent increase of outgassing (methane, hydrogen sulphide etc) which are likely causing at least some of the extensive wildfires around the world (particularly in Canada), perhaps some outgassing occurred here also?

There does seem to have been a significant increase in explosions recently; from manholes, cars, boats, houses to bigger industrial type plants etc. Just as atmospheric electric discharge events appear to be increasing too! Take lightning as just one manifestation - there sure appears to be a big increase in this electrical phenomenon.

Also, considering the devaluation of the yuan over the past couple of days, and the on-going geo-political shenanigans - could this have been a space weapon type 'warning shot'?

Saw this video (several footages) at passing minute 2:14 --like very few nanosecons?, it can be seen the-at least is different, or seem to be different from the layer behind of smoke of the first explosion, white kind smoke coming from the left side, and just immediately (within the same second 14) the second explosion -the bigger one?, I think I saw something else, but this computer is not that precise and neither the monitor and, I am not that sure, there is also the possibility that my eyes had been flashed already ....
can you see it? what you do think?¨

http://<iframe width="560" height="...Ag" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Yes I can see it too and it indeed looks quite similar to the west texas explosion, where a fast initial bright thing (comet most likely), aparently from the outside, entered the already burning plant and caused the huge explosion:

http://www.sott.net/article/261485-Something-impacted-the-fertilizer-plant-in-West-Texas-most-likely-a-Comet-fragment

 

[Joe]

This video shows two massive explosions after an initial fire/explosion that isn't seen on video.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0e5_1439474009

Unless we're talking about 3 meteorites hitting the same place within a few minutes of each other, it suggests that there was explosives in that area that caused the two large explosions. It's still possible that a space rock started the first fire though I suppose.

 

[Cosmos]

Just scanned through all the available camera angels of the videos I could find.

I'll list them here, in case you want to look at it closer as well:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0e5_1439474009
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=160_1439476837
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=775_1439442869
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=677_1439397581
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=dc0_1439444275
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deLLq60lZaA

From what I can see there, it looks like following probably happened:

1: A fire is burning
2: The fire causes the first smaller explosion (no indication, like a bright flash coming from outside (like in the second explosion) is present, although it can not be ruled out)
3: It calms down again after the first big explosion
4: The second huger explosion happens after something very bright seems to enter from outside which then seems to cause the huge explosion

 

[stellar]

This video shows two massive explosion after an initial fire/explosion that isn't seen on video.

https://www.facebook.com/ebaumsworld/videos/10153155166912424/

Unless we're talking about 3 meteorites hitting the same place within a few minutes of each other, it suggest that there was explosives in that area that caused the two large explosions. It's still possible that a space rock started the first fire though I suppose.

Were the Perseids not in the neighbourhood of northern hemisphere at the time?

 

[Niall]

Just scanned through all the available camera angels of the videos I could find.

I'll list them here, in case you want to look at it closer as well:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0e5_1439474009
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=160_1439476837
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=775_1439442869
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=677_1439397581
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=dc0_1439444275
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deLLq60lZaA

From what I can see there, it looks like following probably happened:

1: A fire is burning
2: The fire causes the first smaller explosion (no indication, like a bright flash coming from outside (like in the second explosion) is present, although it can not be ruled out)
3: It calms down again after the first big explosion
4: The second huger explosion happens after something very bright seems to enter from outside which then seems to cause the huge explosion

Where are you seeing these "bright flashes entering from outside"?

 

[Scottie]

This video shows two massive explosion after an initial fire/explosion that isn't seen on video.

https://www.facebook.com/ebaumsworld/videos/10153155166912424/

Unless we're talking about 3 meteorites hitting the same place within a few minutes of each other, it suggest that there was explosives in that area that caused the two large explosions. It's still possible that a space rock started the first fire though I suppose.

Holy Moley!!

Also possible that it was a sinkhole, outgassing, electrical/plasma phenomenon, etc.

 

[luke wilson]

This video shows two massive explosions after an initial fire/explosion that isn't seen on video.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0e5_1439474009

Unless we're talking about 3 meteorites hitting the same place within a few minutes of each other, it suggests that there was explosives in that area that caused the two large explosions. It's still possible that a space rock started the first fire though I suppose.

Slightly off-topic but... uhmmm.. the conversation between the guy and girl in the video when their is potentially a life threatening situation on the offing... well that is something to behold!

Back on-topic, to me sounds like a bomb was there...

 

[Eulenspiegel]

This could be a "warning shot" of sorts, considering Tianjin is situated right next to Beijing.

 

[Woodsman]

Here's the Cosmically-Minded metaphor which occurred to me...

"The Chinese industrial export market has been accumulating lots of Energy over the last couple of decades. -If the world were a circuit board, China is like a capacitor with a huge surplus of electrons. Handle with care to avoid accidental discharge!"

In terms of electrical parallels, with the sudden drop in the value of the Yuan, the Energy stored in that port spiked in potential.

 

[Mr.Cyan]

The South China Morning Post, reports that there was Sodium Cyanide stored at the blast site, and detected in the aftermath (original report from Beijing Times) :

http://www.scmp.com/news/article/1849399/hell-earth-huge-chemical-blasts-rip-through-mainland-city-port-tianjin

The Beijing Times said there were at least 700 tons of sodium cyanide, a toxic chemical often used in mining to extract gold, in wooden boxes and metal containers at the blast site. Some of the chemical had been detected in a ditch, suggesting leakage.

 

[mabar]

This video shows two massive explosion after an initial fire/explosion that isn't seen on video.

https://www.facebook.com/ebaumsworld/videos/10153155166912424/

Unless we're talking about 3 meteorites hitting the same place within a few minutes of each other, it suggest that there was explosives in that area that caused the two large explosions. It's still possible that a space rock started the first fire though I suppose.

Holy Moley!!

Also possible that it was a sinkhole, outgassing, electrical/plasma phenomenon, etc.

At this video its seen the possible initial fire from a CCTV gas station, late the successive explosions.

http://<iframe width="420" height="...fM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

If it is either or the escenario by the latest news, seems to be quite pausible too.

The South China Morning Post, reports that there was Sodium Cyanide stored at the blast site, and detected in the aftermath (original report from Beijing Times) :

_http://www.scmp.com/news/article/1849399/hell-earth-huge-chemical-blasts-rip-through-mainland-city-port-tianjin

The Beijing Times said there were at least 700 tons of sodium cyanide, a toxic chemical often used in mining to extract gold, in wooden boxes and metal containers at the blast site. Some of the chemical had been detected in a ditch, suggesting leakage.

China investigates Tianjin blasts, experts focus on chemicals stored at port
World | Fri Aug 14, 2015 5:20am BST Related: WORLD
Investigators searched for clues on Friday to identify what caused two huge explosions at a warehouse storing volatile chemicals at a busy port in northeast China, as foreign and local companies assessed the damage to their operations.

The blasts in the city of Tianjin on Wednesday night killed at least 50 people, including a dozen fire fighters, state media said. About 700 people were injured, 71 seriously.

Rescuers pulled one survivor from the wreckage on Friday, a city official told reporters. Columns of smoke from fires still burning rose from the blast site amid the devastation of crumpled shipping containers, thousands of torched cars and port buildings reduced to burnt-out shells.

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

Chemical safety experts said calcium carbide reacts with water to create acetylene, a highly explosive gas. An explosion could be caused if fire fighters sprayed the calcium carbide with water, they said.

The official Xinhua news agency has said several containers in the warehouse had caught fire before the blasts.

Lei Jinde, the deputy propaganda department head of China's fire department, a part of the Ministry of Public Security, told state-backed news website ThePaper.cn that the first group of fire fighters on the scene had used water.

"We knew there was calcium carbide inside but we didn't know whether it had already exploded," he said.

"At that point no one knew, it wasn't that the fire fighters were stupid," Lei said, adding that it was a large warehouse and they didn't know the exact location of the calcium carbide.

Xinhua has reported 18 firefighters remain missing, with 66 among the hundreds of people hospitalised.

David Leggett, a chemical safety expert based in California, told Reuters the acetylene explosion could have detonated the ammonium nitrate. The two blasts were about 30 seconds apart, the second much larger than the first.

"In my mind, the presence of ammonium nitrate makes it easier to explain the level of devastation," he said.

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

A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency's Beijing environmental emergency response centre, as well as 214 Chinese military nuclear and biochemical materials specialists, had gone to Tianjin, Xinhua said.

Several thousand residents were moved to 10 nearby schools after apartment buildings and homes were damaged, mainly by shockwaves from the explosions, it said.

Chemicals at blasted warehouse not yet determined: authorities
TIANJIN, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The dangerous chemicals stored in the warehouses that exploded on Wednesday night in Tianjin Port can not be determined at the moment, authorities said at a press conference on Friday.

Gao Huaiyou, deputy director of Tianjin's work safety watchdog, cited major discrepancies between the accounts of company management and customs, and damage to the company's office as reasons they are unable to identify the chemicals.

Cargo is stored in a warehouse for no more than 40 days before being transferred elsewhere, Gao said, adding that the blast sites have been redesigned to contain dangerous chemicals.

The enormous blasts have killed 50 people, including 17 firefighters. A total of 701 were injured, of whom 70 remain in critical condition.