Chemicals at blast warehouse not yet identified: authorities

TIANJIN, Aug. 14-- The dangerous chemicals stored at the warehouse that exploded Wednesday night in Tianjin Port cannot be identified yet, authorities said at a press conference Friday.

Gao Huaiyou, deputy director of Tianjin's work safety watchdog, cited damage to the company's office and major discrepancies between the accounts of company management and customs records as a reason they have not been able to identify the chemicals.

Work safety employees are racing the clock to check the information they have, Gao said.

Cargo is stored in a warehouse for no more than 40 days before being transferred elsewhere, he said, adding that the blast site had been redesigned to store dangerous chemicals.

The enormous blasts have killed at least 50 people, including 17 firefighters. A total of 701 were injured, of whom 70 remain in critical condition.

Tianjin Dongjiang Port Ruihai International Logistics Co. Ltd, which operates the warehouse, is licensed to store an array of dangerous chemicals, including flammable gas and liquid, as well as other hazardous chemicals, such as potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate and sodium cyanide, calcium silicate and Toluene Diisocyanate.

The company was allowed to store dangerous chemicals at the blast site following work safety and environmental impact assessments, Gao said.