After the explosion in Tianjin, is the air quality still at an acceptable level?

The Tianjin Municipal Environmental Bureau said that after the explosion, a team of more than 200 chemical experts from the Chinese military was sent to the scene to survey the air quality.

Data collected at 4:00 p.m. (local time) showed that within 500 meters of the explosion's epicenter, there was a large amount of toxic gas in the air such as sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide.

However, within a radius of 2km, the concentration of these toxins is very low. Previously, data collected from 17 air quality monitoring stations also showed that the concentration of toxic gases in the air was at a "safe" level.

Smoke and fire filled the sky after a horrific explosion in Tianjin, China. Photo: EPA

Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Wen Yurui - Director of the Tianjin City Environmental Protection Department said: "It is only harmful when inhaling these toxic substances for a long time. However, at present, according to the data we measured, the concentration of toxic gases is still at the permissible level."

To assist in the incident response, local military authorities have mobilized more than 250 officers and soldiers to monitor the scene and put out the fire.

In addition, 36 medical experts from 10 civilian and military hospitals in Beijing were also immediately dispatched to the scene to assist in emergency treatment of the victims.

On the night of August 12, two consecutive explosions occurred at a warehouse containing dangerous chemicals in the Tianjin Industrial Zone. The fires that broke out then spread, causing many other small explosions.

According to the People's Daily website, the cause was a shipment of explosives in a container that exploded.

According to the National Earthquake Bureau of China (NEB), of the two explosions, the first had a destructive power equivalent to 3 tons of TNT, the second equivalent to 21 tons of TNT.

The incident left at least 50 people dead (including 17 firefighters), dozens missing, more than 700 hospitalized, 71 of whom were seriously injured.

Several buildings and about 1,000 cars were badly damaged. Many residents had to live in temporary tents set up in schools.

According to VOV