OT- Massive Explosion in Tianjin, China
Not sure how to write about this, but sometimes news stories like this can really knock you back in terms of how fragile life can be. Reports of 44 dead at the moment, but judging by the size of the explosion and distance to the city i'm sure these numbers are only going to increase.
Take a moment and reflect on what you have and what these people have likely lost. I won't link any NSFW material, but be warned about what links you click on the reddit thread.
https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/3gqvw2/huge_explosion_in_tianjin_china/
August 13th, 2015 at 2:54 AM ^
If this happened in America, it would be an enormous disaster likely resulting in major federal legislation. In China, it's just another Wednesday. Shame on them and their shitty regulatory system.
August 13th, 2015 at 6:40 AM ^
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August 13th, 2015 at 8:07 AM ^
42 miles away as the crow flies, had my house shake a bit.
August 13th, 2015 at 9:30 AM ^
I believe legislation did change as a result of that one. It usually takes several years for OSHA to get anything through the pipes with all the commenting and push back they get
August 13th, 2015 at 2:43 PM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 3:02 PM ^
...2005 Texas City refinery explosion. 15 dead, 170 injured. Lax security procedures were at fault, BP paid a fine and there were no significant regulatory changes.
August 13th, 2015 at 6:52 AM ^
Actually things like this usually result in executions in China. Corruption, bribery, etc....also executions.
August 13th, 2015 at 7:18 AM ^
(Whether at fault or not) to demonstrate how serious the govt is about protecting its people. Then it's back to business as usual.
August 13th, 2015 at 10:09 AM ^
Why won't the website let me cut and paste?
Anyway, CNN says: "The explosions originated at a warehouse site owned by Tianjin DDongjiang Port Rui Hai International Logistics Co. Ltd., a company that stores and transports dangerous chemicals. Company executives have been taken into custody, state media said.
August 13th, 2015 at 8:19 AM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 8:43 AM ^
Here is the difference. A US company and their insurance company would pay millions or billions in damages. Tell me that will happen in China. It will not bring the dead back but at least serves as an additional deterrence to stuff like this happening. China is a dangerous place to work or breath for that matter because no one has any rights.
August 13th, 2015 at 10:03 AM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 9:21 AM ^
When these things do happen in America, people in both parties try to take political advantage with distortions and half-true talking points if they can. One party will distort about an agency having 'spending cuts' when in fact they have budget increases above inflation. The other party will call them out for the distortion, but then use the exact same distortion when it comes to an agnecy of their political preference.
August 13th, 2015 at 9:44 AM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 9:59 AM ^
It's obviously NASA guys.
How else would they have all the money to fake the moon landing and paint all those fancy Earth pictures of late?
August 13th, 2015 at 10:51 AM ^
'Wow, there's alot of really controversial stuff out there. The MgoForums do a great job of getting embroiled in politics'.
Please lets not make this a debate between the Daily and the Review. 9/3 isn't far off....
August 13th, 2015 at 9:28 AM ^
Yeah it's in the news for 1-2 weeks but then litigation kicks in for the next few years and the company ends up paying millions or billions to the injured or their families. I doubt that happens in China
OSHA and the CSB also can and do (slooowwwwly) change regulations to address these things.
August 13th, 2015 at 8:38 AM ^
And it's not like the victims family can sue for damages either.
August 13th, 2015 at 2:59 AM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 4:18 AM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 8:54 AM ^
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August 13th, 2015 at 9:49 AM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 10:22 AM ^
Only those 44 were in management and carry their CCP/CPC cards.
The other 1000 were just peasants indentured to the company.
August 13th, 2015 at 9:26 AM ^
That explosion probably levelled well less than 1% of the buildings in that city. It's bigger than LA
August 13th, 2015 at 10:55 AM ^
puts the zap on my head. The sheer size of the cities in China. When I was in Nanchang the interpreter said it was a 'medium/small' sized city. It has 5 million people.
August 13th, 2015 at 4:54 AM ^
The first 7 seconds of that video is terrifying. That must have been taken off a live-stream. No way whoever filmed that survived.
August 13th, 2015 at 12:35 PM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 6:41 AM ^
They just said on the news here that this explosion was in fact perceptible from space, so massive indeed. Absolutely terrifying footage too - I cannot even imagine what these numbers will look like in short order since they are saying that worker dormatories were leveled nearby as well.
August 13th, 2015 at 6:48 AM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 8:53 AM ^
Source: coworkers in Tianjin.
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August 13th, 2015 at 9:14 AM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 9:27 AM ^
Looking at Google maps, the port of Tianjin is far away from the city center and most major residential areas in Tianjin. Considering that it occurred at 11:30pm, most workers were probably away, which should, hopefully, keep the death toll down. Obviously, the explosion was so big that it looks like it did effect residential areas, but most of the area immediately around ground zero was likely industrial.
August 13th, 2015 at 9:41 AM ^
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August 13th, 2015 at 7:43 AM ^
I cannot even imagine.
August 13th, 2015 at 8:02 AM ^
Nothing personal, OP, but I don't think this belongs on the board. It's splashed all over the WWW this morning.
(No, I *don't* have to click on it, but it does unnecessarily take up vertical space and it would displace something more relevant to UMich sports.)
August 13th, 2015 at 8:15 AM ^
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August 13th, 2015 at 8:49 AM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 8:20 AM ^
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August 13th, 2015 at 8:28 AM ^
government officials "dangerous goods"
August 13th, 2015 at 8:51 AM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 8:26 AM ^
August 13th, 2015 at 8:32 AM ^
look up your own history before commenting on how China "does things"
Texas City Disaster, then PEPCON disaster.
August 13th, 2015 at 8:46 AM ^
"PEPCON had only $1 million in stated liability insurance but costs paid by its insurer ultimately significantly exceeded this amount.[5] A courtroom battle involving dozens of insurance companies and over 50 law firms resulted in a $71 million 1992 settlement with contributions from multiple parties including AMPAC/PEPCON and Southwest Gas Corporation that was divided among insurance companies on subrogation claims as well as the victims and their families."
Tell me millions or billions will be set aside for the families of the victims in China?
August 13th, 2015 at 9:34 AM ^
The US seems to only have major industrial accidents (like 5+ fatalities) once every few years.
China has had at least 6 major, major accidents in the last year.
They don't seem to care in China. The government's just happy to be printing money. They execute an executive or two and continue on
August 13th, 2015 at 9:40 AM ^
Do have a shifty history in terms of environmental stewardship and worker safety. We also still make mistakes, some bad ones. The difference, though, between us and China is we've publicly faced these mistakes and largely changed both laws and behavior. China has not.
Similarly, our two great sins were slavery and our treatment of Native Americans. These do not constitute licence for Saudi Arabia's legalized abuse of women, not does it make us hypocrites for criticizing said abuse.
August 13th, 2015 at 9:48 AM ^
Agreed. The key term here is history. We do make progress. The difference is we have the right to bitch, vote and try to make changes. I'm sure most of the people in China want safe jobs and clean air and water but they have a limted voice.
The US is far from perfect on all counts, but our system does allow input and change. Enen if it occurs slower than we may like.