Chinese vice premier visits people injured in Tianjin blasts

TIANJIN - Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong has promised best medical treatment for people injured in massive warehouse explosions in Tianjin and wished them early recovery during her visit to hospitals on late Thursday night.

The explosions, which occurred at a warehouse storing dangerous goods in the port city on Wednesday night, has killed 50 people and injured more than 700 as of Thursday evening. More than 70 are critically wounded.

Commissioned by President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, Liu paid visits to two hospitals where injured firefighters and residents were treated.

Liu extended appreciation to medical workers participating in the rescue.

On early Friday morning, Liu made further instruction on rescue efforts after consulting medical experts and Tianjin authority on the latest progress in a meeting held in the Binhai New Area, where the blasts occurred.

Liu urged authorities to ensure the injured, especially those in critical condition, to be treated in timely and proper manner with the best medical resources. Liu also called for psychological support and counseling service for the injured, family members of the victims as well as rescuers.

Liu was accompanied by Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun, who leads a work group dispatched by the State Council after the blasts to direct the rescue and emergency work, and Li Bin, the head of National Health and Family Planning Commission, as well as Tianjin Municipality officials.