TIANJIN, Aug 14: Chinese authorities struggled Friday to extinguish fires and identify dangerous chemicals at a devastated industrial site; two days after giant explosions killed 55 and left residents in fear of being cloaked in a toxic cloud after reports there could be hundreds of tonnes of dangerous chemicals at the site.
At least 700 tonnes of sodium cyanide were at the site, along with other dangerous substances, and the poisonous chemical had been detected in nearby drains, the Beijing News initially reported.
The official Xinhua news agency said a team of 217 nuclear and biochemical materials specialists from the Chinese military had travelled to Tianjin to inspect the site.
With dozens of people still missing, authorities were also focused on trying to find any more potential survivors. Rescue workers pulled a 19-year-old firefighter from the rubble on Friday morning.
However up to 1,000 firefighters were still struggling to extinguish blazes at the site, with smoke billowing from three areas, adding to uncertainty over whether more chemicals may be leaking.
Greenpeace warned on Thursday that rain could transfer airborne chemicals into water systems.     ?AFP