UPDATED: Deadly Explosions Hit China’s Port of Tianjin

Extensive damages as a result of the blast in Tianjin

A warehouse of hazardous goods in the northeast port city was rocked with by fiery explosion late Wednesday, death figures from the blast rose from 7 to 44 this morning and number of injured soared, 11 of the strong 1000 fire fighters are among the dead. The explosion shattered glass on scores of high-rise buildings and causing lots of damage.

The force of the blasts registered on earthquake scales in a region prone to them and were felt miles away. See more photos below:

Aftermath: In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, smoke rises from the site of explosions from a nearby building in the Binhai New Area in northeastern China's Tianjin municipality. The explosions claimed the lives of at least 44 people and injured 400 more

An unidentified number of people were trapped in the wreckage, the Tianjin Police Department said in a statement.

The official Xinhua news agency and other state-run news outlets posted graphic video clips of the blasts, showing a fire and a huge flash of light that resembled a mushroom cloud illuminating the darkness.

Another video posted by People’s Daily showed a person blown down by a wall of shattering glass and debris.

Xinhua said an initial blast originated at a warehouse in Tianjin’s Binhai District at around 11:30 p.m. and set off “further explosions in companies nearby.”

The Tianjin Police Department statement said that at least seven people had died and that a private concern, identified as the Rui Hai International Logistics Company, owned the warehouse, which was storing hazardous goods.

The precise nature of the materials that exploded was not made clear, and there was no indication whether the blast was accidental or intentional.