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An injured man rests near the explosion site in Binhai new district in Tianjin, China August 13, 2015. Two huge explosions tore through an industrial area where toxic chemicals and gas were stored in the northeast Chinese port city of Tianjin, killing at least 44 people, including at least a dozen fire fighters, officials and state media said on Thursday. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

Massive explosions in Tianjin, a major port city in China, killed at least 17 people and injured more than 400. The explosions sent a fireball and mushroom cloud into the night sky on Wednesday.

Update: The death toll rises to 50. More than 700 are reported to be injured.

Chinese news agency Xinhua reported Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang had asked to minimise casualties by saving the injured with all-out efforts. Jinping ordered local authorities in the port city to restrict the fire, search for missing people and treat the injured. Jinping and Keqiang ordered direct rescue operations through a work group led by Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun.

The blast took place at a warehouse in Tianjin. The Chinese president said in his instructions that the cause of the fire should be determined, which indicates that the cause of fire was still unknown. The president also said that the safety of the rescuers should be guaranteed in an appropriate manner as well.

Jinping asked government officials in the country to learn a lesson from the incident. He said that it was important to carry out safety checks for the security of the people of China. It is also important to improve the management of dangerous chemicals, he added. The Chinese president asked to ensure the protection of people’s property and life.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported a number of eyewitnesses video-recorded the incident. The videos were apparently taken from apartments overlooking the warehouse. The videos became instantly popular on Chinese social media.

In the videos, people are heard shouting in Mandarin. In one of the videos, one person is heard saying: “I’m scared to death” and then a woman says: “I can’t open the door.”

A YouTube video shows multiple blasts shattering electric posts and trees. People are seen running while fire balls fly farther from the explosion area.

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