China: Clean up begins at chemical blast site
- 9 years ago
The recovery of toxic materials has begun in earnest at the site of last week’s explosions at a chemical warehouse in China’s port of Tianjin.
The goal is to clear any chemicals found including that of sodium cyanide which has already been detected, before it rains as that could create further toxic gas emissions.
(Sodium cyanide is soluble in water, and absorbs water from air, and its dust is also easy to inhale. When dissolved or burned, it releases the highly poisonous gas hydrogen cyanide.)
Shock aerial photos of blast wipe-out http://t.co/c9K2TUSnw5— Herald Sun (@theheraldsun) August 16, 2015
An investigation is underway into what triggered Wednesday’s disaster which flattened the area. The number of dead has risen to 112 with 95 still missing, most of them firefighters.
More than 720 people remain in hospital.
Government reaction
On Sunday, China’s Premier Li Keqiang visited the area meeting victims and environmental monitors who are trying to secure the site.
The goal is to clear any chemicals found including that of sodium cyanide which has already been detected, before it rains as that could create further toxic gas emissions.
(Sodium cyanide is soluble in water, and absorbs water from air, and its dust is also easy to inhale. When dissolved or burned, it releases the highly poisonous gas hydrogen cyanide.)
Shock aerial photos of blast wipe-out http://t.co/c9K2TUSnw5— Herald Sun (@theheraldsun) August 16, 2015
An investigation is underway into what triggered Wednesday’s disaster which flattened the area. The number of dead has risen to 112 with 95 still missing, most of them firefighters.
More than 720 people remain in hospital.
Government reaction
On Sunday, China’s Premier Li Keqiang visited the area meeting victims and environmental monitors who are trying to secure the site.