Tianjin’s deadly explosions: Six questions Chinese officials are trying to answer

The blasts have been traced to a port warehouse, said to have been storing “dangerous goods”, owned by Ruihai International Logistics.

As rescue efforts continue more than 36 hours after the blasts, and chemical specialists arrive at the scene to help with the clean-up operation, we take a close look at six of the most frequently asked questions and try to provide answers to some of the mysteries surrounding the disaster.

1. What could have caused the massive explosions and resulting fires?

It is still unclear exactly what hazardous chemicals were being stored inside the warehouse where the explosions took place, but experts say that such chemicals may have been easily flammable, meaning that temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius could have been enough for them to have started burning.

Rising temperatures inside cargo containers at the port could also have led to an explosion, Kang Yong, a safety engineering professor at the Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology was quoted as saying in a Beijing Times report.

Kang added that a possible leak from a container, in addition to high temperatures on the ground, could have led to the chemicals igniting.

Another possible cause of the blasts may be that the chemicals had not been handled in accordance with the high safety standards necessary for dealing with hazardous goods. A report in 2014 by the Tianjin Maritime Safety Administration said that checks had revealed that five of Ruihai International Logistics’ 4,325 containers at the port did not meet the quality inspection standards set in 2013.