Massive Explosion in China

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
126
Glad to see everyone in China holds their damn phone vertically while filming too :colbert:
 

Darwin333

Lifer
Dec 11, 2006
19,946
2,329
126
Holy shit! That is insane and a death toll anywhere from 7,000 to 70,000!!!

When I clicked this thread I never would have thought the "massive" in the thread title would be an understatement.
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
52,648
46,343
136
Saw one video that is obviously closer than the others and the explosion filled the entire frame and then some. Lasted until you saw structures/fences being blown apart by the shockwave a second and a half later right in front of the person taking the video. :eek:
 

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
126
New agencies are not reporting (thus far) anything close to 7K-70K thousand. They are talking 100 or so patients thus far. Those mostly from the shockwave -- can't believe there were 1,000s near the site.
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,998
126
New agencies are not reporting (thus far) anything close to 7K-70K thousand. They are talking 100 or so patients thus far. Those mostly from the shockwave -- can't believe there were 1,000s near the site.

CNN headline right now is 7. Not 7,000 or 70,000, SEVEN.

That's sure to rise, but WTF are they getting 70,000 from?
 

SlickSnake

Diamond Member
May 29, 2007
5,235
2
0
With all the broken windows and glass, 7k injured would be a fair estimate for starters. And you can see all those high rises nearby, too. Chinese cities are usually pretty dense population wise, compared to the USA.

And a blast that strong if you are nearby would probably kill you even if there was no shrapnel or fire involved. It would litterally knock you down or throw you and drive the air from your lungs by pushing it out in the concussion which would knock people unconscious, at the very least.
 
Last edited:
Jan 25, 2011
17,076
9,554
146
The first explosion was followed by another 30 seconds later.

An official Chinese seismic agency said the force of the first explosion was equivalent to three tons of TNT, the second was 21 tons

Sheesh.
 

Svnla

Lifer
Nov 10, 2003
17,986
1,388
126
Cnn reporting 50 people might have been killed?

That's from the "official government" figure. Know them chicom always lower the bad numbers and jack up the good numbers.

From the video and the map, I expect the final tally would be a lot higher because of the population density and the power of the multiple blasts plus the chemical fumes.
 
Last edited:

Drako

Lifer
Jun 9, 2007
10,697
161
106
That's from the "official government" figure. Know them chicom always lower the bad numbers and jack up the good numbers.

From the video and the map, I expect the final tally would be a lot higher because of the population density and the power of the multiple blasts.

The blasts were not really near the population density of the city, they were out in the harbor.
 

Drako

Lifer
Jun 9, 2007
10,697
161
106
AFAIK there were quite a few skyscraper apartment buildings nearby.

There are some within a couple of km. The convenience store (The CCTV video) was about 500 meters from the blast.
 
Last edited:

Svnla

Lifer
Nov 10, 2003
17,986
1,388
126
The blasts were not really near the population density of the city, they were out in the harbor.

The city's population is over 7 million people. I haven't been to china yet but have been to numerous cities in Asia (developed and developing) and let me tell you, the population density of those cities are a lot higher than anywhere in the US, even NYC.

We will wait and see. If and when the chicom government would release the correct numbers.
 

Drako

Lifer
Jun 9, 2007
10,697
161
106
The city's population is over 7 million people. I haven't been to china yet but have been to numerous cities in Asia (developed and developing) and let me tell you, the population density of those cities are a lot higher than anywhere in the US, even NYC.

We will wait and see. If and when the chicom government would release the correct numbers.

Yeah, I did not realize how densely populated Tianjin is. Over 14 million according to Wiki. :eek:
 

Paratus

Lifer
Jun 4, 2004
17,643
15,828
146
This reminds me of the Texas City disaster where two ships with about 3000 tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer blew up in 1947.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_disaster

That disaster killed over 500 people and threw a 2 ton anchor over 1.5 miles.


This explosion in China looks to be similar. There could easily be hundreds dead. The only hope is since it was night maybe most people were home.
 

Artorias

Platinum Member
Feb 8, 2014
2,270
1,577
136
Why are some news services reporting just 7 dead? That's extremely distasteful when its clear hundreds if not thousands have lost there lives at minimum, its better to report nothing and wait until you can make a proper estimate.
 

Ajay

Lifer
Jan 8, 2001
16,094
8,114
136
This reminds me of the Texas City disaster where two ships with about 3000 tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer blew up in 1947.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_disaster

That disaster killed over 500 people and threw a 2 ton anchor over 1.5 miles.


This explosion in China looks to be similar. There could easily be hundreds dead. The only hope is since it was night maybe most people were home.

And that disaster had a TNT equivalent of ~3 kT. If this is indeed a 21 kT (TNT equiv.) explosion - it's going to be very bad news.
 
Jan 25, 2011
17,076
9,554
146
Why are some news services reporting just 7 dead? That's extremely distasteful when its clear hundreds if not thousands have lost there lives at minimum, its better to report nothing and wait until you can make a proper estimate.

Why is it clear that many were killed? It was in a largely industrial area at night and there was a fire to begin with. There is a good chance evacuations were done to clear people at risk out.