What Caused the Massive Explosion in Tianjin, China?

[Jon Richfield]

Good grief! If that is accurate it puts it into the same ballpark as the Messines explosion of about 455 tons of ammonal, and that was an engineered explosion, not an industrial accident!

 

[Anders Bruun]

I converted one of the videos to stills -- it makes it "easier" to see what is going on (30 fps frame numbers superimposed):
http://imgur.com/a/ypW2D

(this is the first, smaller explosion).

The fire seems to be pulsating:

http://i.imgur.com/KxPlkj6.png

 

[Astronuc]

Explosion at another chemical plant - update on Tianjin explosion.
http://news.yahoo.com/blast-chinese-chemical-plant-kills-1-050807039.html

On Sunday, the Tianjin city government announced on its microblog account that the death toll in that disaster had been raised to 123. It said 50 people were still missing.

The cause of the Tianjin disaster is under investigation. State media say that the warehouse, which stored sodium cyanide and other dangerous chemicals, was too close to homes and that its operators may have obtained falsified safety approvals.

 

[Astronuc]

China arrests 12 over Tianjin blasts as toll rises
http://news.yahoo.com/china-arrests-12-over-tianjin-blasts-xinhua-032254897.html

Beijing (AFP) - Chinese police have arrested 12 people over giant explosions that killed at least 145 people and devastated a swathe of a Chinese port city, state media said Thursday as prosecutors probe 11 officials for neglecting their duties.
. . . .
The official Xinhua news agency said the dozen formally held include the chairman and senior managers of the firm whose chemical storage facility exploded in the northern city of Tianjin two weeks ago, in the country's highest-profile industrial accident in years.
. . . .
The 12 arrested include owners of Rui Hai International Logistics who were shown on state television last week, when they were already being held by police, "confessing" to using government connections to obtain safety permits.
. . . .