According to Tianjin authorities, the incident occurred at around 8pm on June 13. The explosions shook two apartment buildings located about 1km apart in the east of the city, about 110km southeast of Beijing (China).

Tianjin police at the scene of the incident. Photo: Meiri Jingji Xinwen/ Weibo

Images from the scene show firefighters trying to rescue victims inside an apartment building, which was severely damaged by the explosion.

According to local media, the explosion affected 26 apartments and 34 residents were evacuated to safety.

The suspect is a 46-year-old man who has been arrested by authorities to assist with the investigation.

VNA