VIDEO: China: Clean up begins at chemical blast site

The recovery of toxic materials has begun in earnest at the site of last week’s explosions at a chemical warehouse in China’s port of Tianjin.

The goal is to clear any chemicals found including that of sodium cyanide which has already been detected, before it rains as that could create further toxic gas emissions.

Sodium cyanide is soluble in water, and absorbs water from air, and its dust is also easy to inhale. When dissolved or burned, it releases the highly poisonous gas hydrogen cyanide.