Eight missing in Tianjin blasts unlikely to be found alive

TIANJIN - Tianjin authorities announced Friday that eight people still unaccounted for are unlikely to be found alive, around one month after Tianjin warehouse explosions killed 165 people.

The information office of Tianjin municipal government said courts in districts where the missing were last known to have lived will declare their deaths when receiving petitions from their families.

Two blasts ripped through a warehouse at around 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 12 in Tianjin Port, where large amounts of toxic chemicals were stored.

A total of 165 people, including 99 firefighters and 11 policemen, were killed in the blasts. Eight people including several firefighters are still missing. Hundreds of injured people remain in hospital.

The civil affairs department of the Binhai New Area has vowed to compensate and recognize firefighters of Tianjin Port who died from the explosions.