Dead fish near Tianjin not caused by the blasts: local official

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2015-08-21

Dead fish at a section of the Hai river, Aug. 20. (Photo/CNS)

The cause of death of the large number of dead fish spotted in the water near Tianjin's Tanggu district was not cyanide poisoning, as the media had previously speculated, but poor quality water, according to a local environment monitoring center, cited by local newspaper Tianjin Daily.

The center examined the water at a section of the Hai river in Tanggu on Thursday and the examination showed the fish had died due to poor quality water, according to the center's chief Deng Xiaowen during a press conference, as cited by Guangzhou-based news web portal NetEase.

The area is around six kilometers from the blast site of two explosions that occurred just before midnight on Aug. 12 at the Ruihai Logistics' warehouse, which houses hazardous chemicals. The explosions and the resulting fires killed at least 114 people with 69 people still missing.

Internet users who are familiar with the area said dead fish are often seen after the river's floodgates open, allowing saltwater in the sea to mix with freshwater in the river. The fish, which live in the sea, cannot adapt to the changes in salinity in the water and die.

The warehouse where the blasts took place stored about 40 substances across seven categories, including around 1,300 tonnes of oxide compounds, mainly potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate; 500 tonnes of inflammable materials, consisting of metallic sodium and magnesium; and 700 tonnes of highly toxic substances, mainly sodium cyanide and caffeine, said Tianjin vice mayor He Shushan.

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