China to build memorial monument at deadly Tianjin blast site

BEIJING: China plans to build a monument on the site of the deadly Tianjin blast in memory of the 160 people killed in the country's worst industrial accident in the northeastern port city last month.

Tianjin plans to build a 24-hectare park on the site of the blast and the monument will be given pride of place, the Binhua New Area Planning and Land Resources Administration of the city said today.

In addition, there are also plans to build primary schools and kindergartens in the area, and over 5,000 apartments have been made available to those who lost their homes as a result of the explosion, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Two explosions ripped through a warehouse in Tianjin Port on August 12. The warehouse was storing large amounts of toxic chemicals, including around 700 tonnes of sodium cyanide.

160 people were killed including 96 firefighters and 11 policemen. Eight firefighters and five civilians are still missing. Hundreds more remain in hospitals.