Authorities lose contact with 36 firefighters at China blast site - media

BEIJING (Reuters) - Authorities have lost contact with 36 firefighters at the scene of two massive explosions that ripped through an industrial area in the northeastern Chinese port city of Tianjin overnight, the Beijing News cited Tianjin fire officials as saying on Thursday. The blast killed at least 17 people, injured as many as 400 and sparked panic across much of the city of 15 million people, official Chinese media reported. (Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Paul Tait)