Tianjin Explosion in China 1

[JAE]

Quite the boom it looks like.

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[TehMightyEngineer]

Some videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfXmG3GdAig

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9YQ_eEobBI

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...sts-at-terrifyingly-close-range-10455135.html

There's a LOT of speculations and rumors due to the Chinese government cracking down on information so I'm not even going to bother speculating.

Huge disaster and I think this is going to be one for the history books. Terrible that this happened and I hope we can learn from this for the sake of all the people killed, injured, or who will suffer health consequences due to the chemicals involved.

Maine Professional and Structural Engineer
American Concrete Industries

http://www.americanconcrete.com

 

[concretemasonry]

I have been to China many times and to Tianjin 3 or 4 times. I ate at my first 3 story McDonald's there.

Whether it is engineering projects, construction or even retail business, everything is massive and you just add a few more zeros to your initial observations. Construction is very often on a 24/7 basis and taller buildings may be occupied on lower levels before being topped off. I have given a few seminars and found the engineers are ravenous and well equipped to learn.

It even out-strips India in the desire and talents for design and construction, especially considering what else that can be required.

With the huge facilities and concentrations of industries and population, the disasters can have huge numbers associated with them.

Dick

Engineer and international traveler interested in construction techniques, problems and proper design.

 

[miningman]

Well the latest facts emerging strongly suggest that Sodium Cyanide was one of the chemicals being stored in inappropriate ways. To the best of my knowledge, NaCN is not explosive but it is most certainly lethal when dispersed and breathed in. Chinese engineers may be voracious in their desire to learn, but perhaps the most relevant analogy would be the Chinese safety record (or lack thereof) within their coal mining industry. The last figures I saw were around 3000 fatalaties EVERY year..... god only knows how many serious injuries accompany that statistic. Storing cyanide in what is essentially a residential area tends to demonstrate a complete and utter lack of comprehension of basic safety procedures that we take for granted in the west. In certain parts of the world, life is cheap. Untill that changes, these type of incidents will continue...... and they are incidents, not accidents... they are wholly preventable.

 

[CoryPad]

Excellent analogy with Chinese coal mining industry

 

[JohnRBaker]

Storing cyanide in what is essentially a residential area tends to demonstrate a complete and utter lack of comprehension of basic safety procedures that we take for granted in the west.

I doubt the people in West, Texas will ever take anything like that for granted after what they experienced a couple of years ago:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Fertilizer_Company_explosion

And here's a video of the actual explosion (watch it to the very end):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzDC3iKbTzY

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
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[EngineeringEric]

This was supposedly from a livestream. a little uneasy seeing the shockwave coming through to the camera at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzpEEqn7Oz0

 

[Guest102023]

Ultimate root cause ... life is cheap.

"If you don't have time to do the job right the first time, when are you going to find time to repair it?"