At Least 44 Dead as Huge Blasts Rock Tianjin Port

zoom At least 44 people died and hundreds were injured Wednesday night after two huge explosions ripped through the industrial area of Chinas Port of Tianjin where dangerous chemicals and goods are stored, according to local media. 12 firefighters have lost their lives trying to contain the flames, and around 520 people have been hospitalized thus far, including 66 critically injured. The initial blast reportedly erupted at a warehouse owned by Tianjin Dongjiang Port Rui Hai International Logistics, a storage and distribution center of dangerous goods in the Port of Tianjin. The center includes two warehouses, one of them being located next to an office block. Four fires are still burning at the site, and significant areas of the port, the tenth largest in the world, have been destroyed by the explosions and the subsequent fires. Chinas President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have urged all out efforts to contain the number of casualties and injured. World Maritime News Staff