After a massive explosion in China kills dozens and injuries hundreds

A dozen firefighters were among the dead, state media said, adding that 71 sustained serious injures.

Details still are emerging, but Deere spokesman Ken Golden said a small group of John Deere employees received minor injuries while at work at its facilities in the Tianjin Economic Development Area. Citing police reports, Reuters said that the warehouse mainly stored ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and calcium carbide at the time of the blasts.

The official Xinhua news agency reported that two fires were still burning.

Another video posted on YouTube from what appeared to be another apartment building some distance from the scene showed the initial blast followed by the second, much bigger, explosion.

An explosion and fire at a hazardous materials warehouse in the north China port city of Tianjin Wednesday night, has killed 44 people and sent more than 500 to hospital. According to official government reports, the death toll stands at 50, with more than 700 people injured. Eighteen firefighters remained missing Thursday, Xinhua reported.

Meanwhile, over 200 military specialists in nuclear and biochemical materials were sent to test the air for toxic substances.

Plumes of smoke still billowed over buildings hours after the blast.

A Tianjin environment department official told reporters at a press briefing that all drainage outlets in the area have been shut to contain any polluted water.

State media said senior management at the firm have been detained by authorities.

The first explosion was equivalent to three tons of TNT detonating, and a subsequent blast was akin to 21 tons of TNT going off, according to the National quake Bureau. Some were completely burned while others were damaged by the force of the blast.

The Tianjin Maritime Safety Administration said the company violated packaging standards during a safety inspection two years ago.

In this photo taken Thursday, August 13, 2015, a man walks through the site of an explosion at a warehouse in northeastern China’s Tianjin municipality.

People had left their high-rises and were sleeping on blankets in the street, with suitcases at the ready, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

President Tan, who said he was “saddened” to hear of the incident in his letter to Mr Xi, conveyed his “deepest condolences” to the victims and their families on behalf of the people of Singapore.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said in a statement he was deeply saddened by the loss of life, and said the firefighters who perished “made the ultimate sacrifice”.