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Recently married
firefighter Yin Yanrong, 25, was confirmed as being among the dead from the
explosions in Tianjin.
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Liu Runwen's only son was among the first firefighters to
arrive at the scene of the fire that engulfed a chemical storage facility in
Tianjin, China, late Wednesday, sending fireballs into the sky. But she still has no
news of his fate. "I learned what
happened on television -- and even now no one has contacted me," she said.
The mother, who appeared
to be in shock, said 18-year-old Liu Zhiqiao had been with the Fifth Squadron
of the Tianjin Port Fire Department for just over half a year. He remained
missing on Saturday.
CNN report continues:
She tried to attend a
news conference at the Tianjin Hotel on Saturday morning regarding the
explosions that killed at least 112 people in this northern Chinese city.
But, along with family
members of other missing firefighters, she was barred by hotel staff from
entering the room where the news conference was taking place.
Their screams alerted
journalists to their presence, and cameramen jostled for position to video
whatever they could through the gaps between closed doors, as hotel staff stood
guard and refused to let people out of the room.
The three officials on
stage appeared unfazed, reassuring the public about the safety of the area amid
lingering concerns over toxins in the air and water supply.
Many firefighters among
victims
The plight of
firefighters -- especially the contractors -- has gripped the nation of 1.3
billion people following the incident, with government officials calling it the
deadliest disaster for the profession since the Communist takeover in 1949.
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Chinese firefighters
mourn their comrade who died in battling the fire and explosions in Tianjin.
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As of Sunday morning, 50
people had been rescued, but 95 people remained missing, including 85
firefighters, Tianjin government spokesman Gong Jiansheng said.
At least 21 firefighters
had been killed battling the fire, he said.
Gong said the latest
death toll included contract firefighters, who battle fires just as their
official counterparts do -- but who do not enjoy the same military status or
benefits.
Journalists from CNN and
other news organizations tracked down the family members in a cramped elevator
lobby, forcing a dozen or so police back into a stairwell.
Looking desperate, the
group included the parents of two contract firefighters from neighboring Hebei
province.
Liu Huan, who lives in
the same village as Liu Runwen -- who is no relation -- said his oldest
son, Liu Chuntao, 22, joined the same squadron as Liu Runwen's son about four
months ago.
"Even if they say
our children have died, they should treat our kids the same way as they do
official firefighters," Liu said.
"Whether they live
or die, they deserve equal treatment."
Water sprayed
State media, including
national broadcaster CCTV, interviewed some of the first firefighters on the
scene, who said that they sprayed water on the fire.
That revelation has
prompted many to question whether the firefighters' initial response -- trying
to put out a chemical fire with water -- caused the subsequent explosion, as
some chemicals stored in the facility are known to react violently with water.
Although officials have
dodged such questions at news conferences in the past few days, critics have
called China's firefighters poorly equipped and inadequately trained,
especially those contractors who are often recruited from the impoverished
countryside.
As more than 1,000
firefighters continue to battle the blaze around the clock, their comrades who
lost their lives -- the youngest was only 17 years old -- are being honored
across state and social media.
Many media outlets and
fire departments have grayed their
profile images on social media sites such as Weibo as a mark of
respect.
And the nation rejoiced
Friday when a 19-year-old firefighter was found alive after having been missing
for more than 31 hours.
Liu, the mother of the
teenage contractor firefighter who remained unaccounted for, prays for the same
miracle.
"I just want my
child back," she kept telling reporters.
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