evacuations amid further blasts Everyone within three kilometres of blast site in China urged to get out amid fears of poisoning by sodium cyanide as death toll rises to 104

Chinese authorities have ordered the evacuation of everyone within three kilometers (1.9 miles) of the Tianjin blast site due to fears of chemical contamination after fires reignited and several explosions rocked the area on Saturday, local media reported.
Hundreds of evacuees housed at a temporary shelter for the homeless in a nearby primary school were also being moved away, amid fears that highly toxic chemical sodium cyanide discovered at the site could lead to more casualties.
“Out of consideration for toxic substances spreading, the masses nearby have been asked to evacuate,” Xinhua said.
Tianjin explosion command center told local media on Saturday that the official death toll has risen to 104.
Fires broke out at 11.40am on Saturday at the Tianjin blast site, according to state media outlet Xinhua. Thick smoke and seven to eight blasts from at least three separate locations were heard at the scene. The state broadcaster CCTV reported that several cars had exploded in the nearby car park.

At 11am police saying they were acting on “orders from higher authorities” began instructing people within two kilometers of the epicenter to be promptly evacuated, said the Beijing News. “No people or vehicle allowed within the area,” the police officer reportedly said.
According to the same report, a member of the People’s Armed Police said sodium cyanide had been discovered at the epicenter of the explosion. Experts are now handling the chemical while the evacuation continues.
The evacuation order came after authorities detected a wind change that threatened to spread toxic particles inland, according to other reports.

A journalist for CCTV reported their eyes were stinging after joining chemical troops wearing hazmat suits on a rescue mission on Saturday.
The rescuers found a survivor in his 50s, inside a shipping container 50 meters away from the epicenter of the explosion.
Earlier on Saturday anger over a lack of timely and accurate information about the blast spilled over at a press conference where the relatives of contract firefighters demanded to be heard.
According to an AP reporter at the media conference, media were locked inside as visibly upset relatives of the missing firefighters tried to force entry to the locked conference room, yelling for more information about their lost loved ones.