Seychelles president sends condolences to China after double explosions claim at least 50 lives
Diplomacy |Author: Sharon Uranie | August 14, 2015, Friday @ 10:38| 3517 views
The Seychelles President James Michel. (Seychelles News Agency)
(Seychelles News Agency) - The Seychelles President James Michel has sent a message of sympathy to the Chinese President Xi Jinping and the people of China, after giant explosions in the Chinese city of Tianjin, Wednesday evening claimed dozens of lives.
“We offer our thoughts to the bereaved families of the victims and to all those injured in this incident. May they find strength in these trying times,” said Michel in a statement issued by the Seychelles Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Transport this morning.
At least 50 people have been confirmed dead and more than 700 others injured in the two explosions, which occurred only seconds apart at a warehouse which is said to contain hazardous goods.
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| This photo taken on August 13, 2015 shows a destroyed car as a fire continues to burn after a series of explosions at a chemical warehouse hit the city of Tianjin, in northern China. (CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO) Photo License: All Rights Reserved |
BBC is reporting that the hazardous goods warehouse that exploded is owned by a company called Ruihai Logistics, which "reportedly handles toxic chemicals including sodium cyanide.”
“...City officials said on Friday they still did not know what materials were at the warehouse, or what the cause of the blasts was,” reads the article.
According to Chinese media, chemical experts are working to test for toxic gases at the scene while nearby residents have expressed fears following reports there could be hundreds of tonnes of toxic chemicals at the site.
Meanwhile, search teams are still looking for more survivors and over one thousand firefighters are still battling to extinguish remaining flames.