China orders stricter safety inspections after Tianjin blasts

China has ordered all factories and warehouses producing and holding hazardous goods to be thoroughly inspected following deadly blasts in a warehouse in the port of Tianjin.

The State Council of China issued an emergency notice on Friday, instructing government departments to review the rules for handling dangerous chemicals and explosives, and to firmly implement special regulatory measures for highly toxic chemicals such as cyanide, as well as inflammable and explosive materials, Xinhua reported.

The Tianjin warehouse blasts, which occurred during the late hours of August 12, killed at least 56 people, including 21 firefighters. Over 720 people were injured in the explosions.

The warehouse had been built four years ago as a storage place and distribution center for containers filled with dangerous goods at Tianjin Port. It is owned by Tianjin Dongjiang Port Ruihai International Logistics Company.

The company said on its website, before it became inaccessible late Thursday, that it stored toxic chemicals, including sodium cyanide and toluene diisocyanate, as well as compressed natural gas, flammable liquids and flammable solids.

Tianjin Port is the largest port in northern China and the main maritime gateway to the capital, Beijing.

The port handled 500 million tons of cargo in 2013, making it the world’s fourth largest port by throughput tonnage back then.

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