Coronavirus Fragments 3: Wuhan Explosion

#Wuhan explosion, heard 30 km away. Dozens of military helicopters flew by immediately. #coronavirus (14 February 2020). Video Source: Youtube.

According to Chinese social media rumours and this report, around noon, local time, on 13 February 2020, there was a large explosion in the vicinity of the new Leishenshan hospital which the Chinese built in a week in Wuhan. The area was attended by Chinese military helicopters. According to the video above, the authorities denied hearing the explosion and claimed they received no calls about it.

a large explosion was reported in Jiangxia District, Wuhan, China #coverup #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/lQw54rxplX

— SmithThomas (@SmithThomas108) February 13, 2020

There are counter-claims online (as here) that this is fake news and the footage is from an earlier explosion in Tianjin in 2015. However, the footage used in debunking articles does not match the explosion footage circulating - purportedly from Wuhan yesterday - on Weibo.

Huge explosion of Gas pipeline in Wuhan, China (13 February 2020). Video Source: Youtube.

武汉雷神山附近突发巨响 官称“音爆”网传爆炸视频

深陷疫灾的中国武汉市，雷神山医院周边民众周四纷纷反映突然听到空中发出来源不明的巨响，引发了恐慌和各种各样的猜测。官方称可能是运送救援物资的飞机产生的音爆现象，遭到网民反驳。同时网传据称是武汉发生大爆炸的视频，不确定两者是否同一事件。 pic.twitter.com/f59hkz3tAZ

— 小婷 (@ttingxiao) February 14, 2020

武汉兵变？民变？ 今天下午，多地居民包括江夏、光谷、徐东、南湖、东西湖等地均听到巨响， 之后有大量战机升空飞行！这是出什么大事了？pic.twitter.com/9QagcR10h2

— 财经冷眼 (@charles984681) February 13, 2020

There was an explosion in Wuhan and I have literally seen video on darkweb of 7 people running after the explosion with hazmat suits on (the yellow expensive ones). ~1.5 sec delay between explosion & sound attest to reality. Two days later peace in HK. People think HK was target.

— Theodore Smith (@hopeseekr) February 14, 2020

Unsubstantiated: Wuhan gas explosion. The district shut down the management from work. Something happened。

— jewise✊✊ (@romeot00) February 14, 2020

Explosion #Wuhan #Hubei
Original Article:: https://t.co/t9Ro9UbqrL

Google Translated Link::: https://t.co/frORzIvmSS#COVID2019 #CoronavirusOutbreak #WuhanCoronavirus #nCoV2019 #nCOVID19 #COVID_19 #COVID19 #2019nCoV #SARSCoV2 #WuFlu #Coronavirus #nCoV19 #nCoV #WuhanDiary #p4Lab pic.twitter.com/o3dKyllgay

— ❤️ (@PhyIis) February 13, 2020

CHINA VIRUS - WUHAN LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY DOZENS OF HELICOPTERS - LIVE COVERAGE (14 February 2020). Video Source: Youtube.

See all my posts on Epidemics here and here.