Death Toll Climbs to 112 in China Blast
BLACKWELL: We're working to get more on the breaking news this morning, this coming from the province of Papua. A plane carrying 54 people missing this morning. It took off at about 2:21 p.m. local time there, and roughly 30 minutes into the flight, that plane you just saw, that very jet, went missing. And the air traffic control operators lost contact with it. Onboard, 44 adults, two children, three infants, five crew members. Again, a total of 54 people. We know from the transportation minister there in Indonesia that the search which began obviously shortly after the plane disappeared, was called off because of bad weather. It's also dark there now. But they have not said this has crashed. They will resume this search in the morning. We have our analysts and our reporters out working to learn more. We'll get you more in a moment.</s>PAUL: We do want to get you to a developing story out of China right now too. There is a desperate search underway. Chinese teams trying to find an untold number of people who may be trapped underneath the rubble from Wednesday's blast. Now, earlier today, a 50-year-old man was rescued. He's in critical condition. He's being treated at an area hospital. Yesterday, there was a rescue as well. So, today some of the hope they have is, we understand, turning into fear because of this. Environmental groups are warning of a toxic chemical stored at that site which may have been sent airborne in this blast. Will Ripley is live in Tianjin, China. So, Will, first of all, let's talk about these rescues. We're talking about Wednesday, so four days later and they're still able to find people who are alive buried in rubble. What are you learning?</s>WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They found two people who were alive. They found a 50-year-old man, as you mentioned, who was just some 50 meters from the epicenter of the explosion. And you've seen the video, you know how powerful it was. It was really was incredible. They also rescued a 19-year-old firefighter. He survived for 21 hours laying on the charred ground. He has horrible burns, chest injuries, a crack in his skull. But both of those men are expected to be OK. But as you mentioned, you look at the power and what the explosion did to this, which was a temporary offense building at a construction site near the blast zone. There's diminishing hope anyone could have possibly survived the two huge fireballs that ensued. Ninety-five people are missing, 85 of them were firefighters, Christi, who are trying to respond. Those fighters, by the way, the government now confirming they did use water in the initial response to the fire. And number of the different chemicals, not only very toxic, but could actually have an explosive reaction when they're exposed to water. That's the big fear now when it rains, chemicals that when airborne and if landed in areas like this, if they're exposed to water, what's going to happen.</s>PAUL: Yes. And were provisions made by the government there to try to assess that and protect people?</s>RIPLEY: Well, I have to tell you, you know, the Chinese government sent their premier, the number two in command to the crash zone today. And they made a point of showing him on camera not wearing a safety mask. They say they've been checking the air and they say the air is safe. And I do have to say the air quality has improved from this time yesterday. They are trying to down play the risks here. And again, there is major concern because you saw how far debris was thrown from the explosion. I mean, the force of an explosion that could do this to buildings and those chemicals that were likely being stored with criminal negligence, that they would have shot out and landed around the area as well. But yet the areas continue to be open. People are walking around. We're able to get access to places like this. And we're obviously keeping a very close eye. We have heavy duty hazmat mask and suit with us in case we encounter anything. And certainly again, the big fear -- the water from any rain. And there's actually word that the government has been trying to take precautions to prevent rain in this area, even going so far as to shoot substances into approaching rain clouds to disperse. So, even though that's not being said publicly, there's great concern here about water interacting with chemicals that maybe around here for kilometers.</s>PAUL: All right. Will Riley, we so appreciate the update. Thank you, sir.</s>BLACKWELL: And, of course, we'll have more on the plane that disappeared over Papua province after a quick break.