A survivor rescued at 7:05 a.m. Friday at the Tianjin blasts site was identified as a firefighter. The search continues for those still missing, municipal authorities said.

The 19-year-old firefighter, named Zhou Ti, is from the Binhai New Area brigade of Tianjin's fire department, the Tianjin public security department said.

As of Thursday afternoon, 18 firefighters were still missing, the Ministry of Public Security said.

"Forces from all sides are searching for the missing firefighters," Tianjin's fire department head Zhou Tian (no relation with the rescued firefighter) said at a press conference on Friday.

More than 1,020 firefighters and 140 fire engines are still battling the raging fire, Zhou said at the press conference.

"When the blasts occurred, several firefighters were working to put out the fire as backup forces just arrived. They were caught off guard, so the casualties are grave," he said.

The enormous blasts, which occurred late Wednesday night, killed at least 50 people, including 17 firefighters. A total of 701 were injured, of whom 70 still in critical condition.