The Chinese city of Tianjin has been rocked by multiple huge explosions.
The explosions reportedly began at around 11:30pm (3:30pm GMT) in the Binhai district, and shattered windows and knocked off doors of buildings in the area, Beijing News reported.
The explosion occurred at a warehouse for explosive and dangerous goods. Xinhua News said the first explosion was equivalent to 3 tons of TNT, and the second, 21 tons.
The blasts then triggered others at nearby businesses, according to Xinhau.
300 to 400 people are reportedly injured, and the death toll currently stands at 17, although exact figures are still unclear.
Two firefighters are also currently reported missing, and there are 48 fire engines on the scene.
More photos of the massive explosion in Tianjin #China right now pic.twitter.com/UMEqO6hSGu
— Gissur Simonarson (@GissiSim) August 12, 2015
It is not yet known what caused the explosion, but videos from the scene show a dramatic fireball exploding near the site of a fire.
Residents reported feeling a huge shockwave after the explosion.
Photos circulating online show a gigantic fireball high in the sky, with a mushroom-cloud.
This mobile phone picture shows people on the street in the aftermath of the explosion (AFP/Getty)
Local residents in Tianjin are posting pictures of shattered windows and injured people.
State broadcaster CCTV says six battalions of firefighters had brought the ensuing fire under control, although it was still burning. It says the firefighters were combing the neighborhood for possible injured residents.
Tianjin resident Zhang Siyu, whose home is several kilometres from the blast site, told the Associated Press: “I thought it was an earthquake, so I rushed downstairs without my shoes on.
“Only once I was outside did I realize it was an explosion. There was the huge fireball in the sky with thick clouds. Everybody could see it.”
Hundreds of people have reportedly been injured & many have been evacuated #explosion #China http://t.co/k8I7IhYBQ4 pic.twitter.com/Lh0ywmvdEF
— Paul Henry (@PaulHenryShow) August 12, 2015
She said she could see wounded people weeping. She said she did not see anyone who had been killed, but added: “I could feel death.”
Han Xiang, who lives in the city, compared the blast to an earthquake but said “then there was a huge mushroom cloud, so we thought we were also in a war.”
Tianjin is a major port and industrial area, around 70 miles from the capital Beijing and home to around 15.2 million people.
More to follow
